College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[The Poet]

OK, you asked for it . . . or at the least, did not NOT ask for it . . . so here I go. Keep in mind that I could write 10 pages here as a preview, thus both wearing out my fingers and my welcome, but will limit myself in this initial post with a quick overview of the Top Ten Pre-season picks. Feel free to add your own comments, or ask about any other team, or request that I expand and justify any of my own remarks. And now, let's get to it:

#1 - Duke: Can the Blue Demons repeat as National Champions? Yes, they can. Will they? No way. This is not meant as a diss on Dook. They have a very good squad, and have to be favored in the ACC, at least until somebody proves otherwise. Barring disaster, you could safely pencil them into the field of 68 today. But repeats are hard, even for a team that dominated the previous year. Duke played well, but did not dominate. And though they added some excellent talent (perhaps more true talent than they lost), they will miss the size and experience they DID lose. Plus, although Singler is reportedly fully recovered from his off-season surgery, it still highlights the point that this team is one pulled hammie from contender to pretender.

#2 - Michigan State: Up until a few days ago, the Spartans were my pre-season pick to take it all this year . . . at last. Partly it's the team itself, partly it's respect for Izzo's skills, but mainly it's because I think they are due. If you go to the well often enough (think Carolina in 2007, 2008, and 2009), you're gonna get wet eventually. But there are some noises already coming out of East Lansing. Lucious is, for some reason, on Izzo's $#!+list, and won't play in their opener . . . at least. Plus, it seems that somebody always gets hurt on that team, which happens often, and especially in the brutal Big Ten. So now, ask me again come March.

#3 - Kansas State: No disrespect intended, but they're gonna hafta prove it to me, since I've heard this tale before. Yes, they have some real good players, and have again managed to lure another potential lottery pick to the other Manhattan. Yet until they actually DO something beside have a good year, I ain't buying any.

#4 Ohio State: To a degree, albeit a significantly lesser one, I feel much the same about the Buckeyes. Yes, they can contend for the conference. Yes, they can make a run in March. But will they be playing on the third weekend? Ehhhhhh . . . I'd guess not.

#5 Pittsburgh: And here's another team that has a history of disappointing expectations and fans. It seems every year we hear how powerful and deep are the Panthers, and it also seems that most years it's somebody else who comes out as the Beast of the East. So you see, the K-State Wildcats should not feel like I'm picking on them, for they are not the only . . . uh, "felines". ;)

#6 Villanova: And the kits just keep on coming. These Wildcats haven't done much since they knocked off Georgetown for the crown 25 years ago, and though I like the team, the coach, and the school, they need to step up some day.

#7 Kansas: This one is a harder call. The season for the Jayhawks may hinge on whether or not their top recruit Josh Selby is ever cleared to play. As his problem is one of academics, it is possible that he might miss the first half of their season yet be eligible for the second . . . and a run at all the marbles. But KU's best shot at another trophy might have been last year, and they were not able to show up to play.

#8 North Carolina: Last year the Heels began the season ranked #7, and finished it ranked #2 . . . in the NIT. I can predict with some degree of confidence that UNC will have a better year than was their previous campaign. However, for all these "experts" to say that Harrison Barnes is the 2nd-best player in the country, the predicted #1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, and the first freshman . . . EVER!! . . . to be named pre-season first-team All-American, before he's even played one damn second of college ball . . . please. Hey, as a Tar Heel myself, I wish the kid all the luck in the world, and hope he is a good as everybody says. But give me, and him, a break!

# 9 Florida: Billy Donovan's Gators haven't made much noise lately, so maybe they are due. With potential problems at Kentucky and Tennessee, and with Missouri being their only other "serious" competition in the SEC, it might be a year when the Gators CAN snap and growl. As for Billy himself . . . he's never stopped making noise, so I ain't worried on that score.

# 10 Syracuse: Last year the Orange began the season off of everyone's radar, and ended up near the top of the heap. This year they start off getting a fair amount of respect, and are thus set up to disappoint their fans. Don't misunderstand . . . Boeheim has some players, and his zone will always win a few games he maybe should not win. But it always loses him a few too. Also, he's not going to sneak up on any of the "haves" this year, and some of the Big East "have-nots" are improved.


The above is based on the pre-season AP poll, so if you're wondering about teams ranked in the Top 10 in other polls, like Kentucky and Purdue, then that's why. In short, regarding these two, UK won't be as good as they were last year, even if the NCAA clears Enes Kanter to play, and Purdue, who was a favorite to win it all last year until Robbie Hummel went down with his injury has already lost Hummel for the season.

If you have any questions or quarrels with the above, or if you want to know about YOUR team, or if you want to know if any mid-major will be "Butler-esque" this year, or if you merely have your own :2 to toss into the pot, please please feel free. Just like the sport itself, it's only a game, and it is supposed to be fun for one and all. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Missouri is SEC competition????

It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the SEC this season, with the issues at UK and UT.

Looking forward to Murray State going back to the Dance again. Morehead State might ave been serious competition this year, and may still be, but I think they have some NCAA issues and consequences this season.

Which conference do you see as the most dominant this season?

[kelmac07]

I really like Pitt this year!! :tu

[The Poet]

Missouri is SEC competition????

It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the SEC this season, with the issues at UK and UT.

Looking forward to Murray State going back to the Dance again. Morehead State might ave been serious competition this year, and may still be, but I think they have some NCAA issues and consequences this season.

Which conference do you see as the most dominant this season?

Missou Tiggers are ranked #15 in both polls, which we both know don't mean jack. But only the Gators and UK are ranked above them (in the SEC), and as you note, the Wildcats have some player issues. The Vols have some too, as well as a gun-shy coach problem.

Murray State may not be one of the "name" mid-majors (Gonzaga, Xavier, Dayton, Butler, Richmond, whoever), yet they have as much a chance as anyone . . . if they come to play. And yeah, I don't remember the particulars, but Morehead does have some $#!+ going on with the NCAA. I'll see if I can pull up the particulars.

Dominant conference? Off the top of my head, I'd pick the Big Ten. Behind them, probably the Big East and Big 12, then the thinner ACC and SEC. Of course, not only does this all depend on health and performance questions (such as, will Texas EVER play to their potential?), but also how problems at schools like UK and KU will shake out.

I really like Pitt this year!! :tu

I like Pitt almost every year, but until they actuall DO something I'm not gonna LOVE them. Hell, I ain't even old enough to remember 1941, which was their first . . . and ONLY . . . trip to the Final Four. :r

Speaking of underachievers like Pitt and UT, both of them help kick off the action tonight:

# 5 Pittsburgh vs. Rhode Island = The Panthers host the Rams, and should open it up in the second half. But don't expect RI to roll over and play dead. They won 26 games last year, made the semis of the NIT, and return about 10 veterans. They will come to play.

# 13 Illinois vs. UC Irvine = If this turns out to be any more than a live scrimmage for the Illini, then I might have to reassess my ranking of the Big 10. The Anteaters had a crappy team last year, and the only change of note was their canning of the coach (Pat Douglass, who won a school-record 197 games yet still lost his job) to bring in fresh blood . . . at the wrong end of the bench. I can't name a single head coach who ever hit a game-winner from the sidelines.

Maryland vs. Seattle = The Terps lose much of their best talent, and return only 6 scholarship veterans. This should be more than enough to pluck the Redhawks. Seattle wasn't bad last year, but they weren't good either . . . and likely won't be this year too.

Texas vs. Navy = This would be the most interesting game of this first night . . . if David Robinson was still a Midshipman. He ain't. The Longhorns usually don't collapse until late in the season, so I'd expect a romp in Austin. But there's something going on down there, mark my word. News is they not only are losing out on a number of future recruits they were counting upon, but their redshirt freshman guard Shawn Williams just quit the team. I guess Rich Barnes never heeded Johnny Winter's warning: "There's so much $#!+ in Texas, you're bound to step in some."

That's all on tonight. I don't expect much quality action, but it's better than no college basketball at all. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Morehead State might have been serious competition this year, and may still be, but I think they have some NCAA issues and consequences this season.

Yes, back at the end of August the NCAA placed Morehead State on 2 years probation for "recruiting violations related to booster activity." But their self-imposed sanctions (they ratted themselves out, which is always the best way to handle it) are not too serious. Aside from the loss of one scholarship, and a temporary reduction of recruiting days, visits, and calls, they have "a permanent ban from recruiting student athletes in all sports from the NIA school in Newark, N.J."

So, they are banned in perpetuity from Newark? Many would say that's a good thing. :r

[jcruse64]

Have to agree with ya on the Newark ban ;). They were great competition to Murray State last season, so I expect good things from the "other" MSU this season.

Looking forward to the Maui Classic!!!

[The Poet]

Have to agree with ya on the Newark ban ;). They were great competition to Murray State last season, so I expect good things from the "other" MSU this season.

Looking forward to the Maui Classic!!!

As a Heel, I'm looking forward to ANYTHING, after last season. :r

I have to begin with a retraction, and apology. Twice above I mentioned Missouri as being competitive in the SEC this year. But they could go undefeated, and still not be a factor in the SEC, since they play in the Big 12. I could make the excuse that all the conference-jumping has me confused, yet you all know I need no excuse to be confused, so that won't pan out. I might also complain that all the Tigers and Wildcats in the college zoology got me boggled. There is truth to that, but it's more due to my puzzlement as to why supposedly smart college people have so little imagination, or so small a vocabulary. Fact is, however, it was just a brain-fart on my part . . . not the first, but the first of many to follow on this thread.

Now, to the action:

# 5 Pittsburgh 83 - Rhode Island 75 = Did I not tell you that the Rams were pretty tough? Pitt had to rally from 8 down to finally fleece them, and escaped at home the first "upset" of the new season.

# 13 Illinois 79 - UC Irvine 65 = Maybe I picked the Big Ten to be the class of this year too soon. Yeah, the Illini opened up an early 42-18 lead, but the Anteaters ate much of that away. A 14-point victory is no better than "meh", especially as the game was in Champaign.

Texas 83 - Navy 52 = Now, this is more like what these "early' games should be. Playing with 4 new starters, the Longhorns had a 23-9 run shortly after the break, and this sunk the Midshipmen's battleship.

Maryland 105 - Seattle 76 = Now, this is exactly like what these games should be. Playing their first game in 4 years without Greivis Vasquez on the court, the Terps committed 29 turnovers, yet STILL ran the Redhawks right outta College Park.


There are no games scheduled for this evening, so you will have to wait until tomorrow night to . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Well, it's tomorrow night, and the Coaches v. Cancer games continue with:

# 5 Pittsburgh vs. Ill. Chicago = And that's what I'd expect, too . . . ill Chicago. I don't care how many suicides new coach Howard Ryan had his Flames run up that hill by Soldier's Field, the Panthers won't care what condition their condition is in. Pitt got it's scare against Rhode Island, and should be focused enough to blow out the Flames, windsprints be damned.

# 13 Illinois vs. Toledo = Speaking of flameouts, the Rockets went 11-53 the last two seasons. I don't care how hard their new coach Todd Kowalczyk has worked his team, he is not THAT Coach K, and doesn't have that personnel. The Illini should prevail, big.

Maryland vs. Charleston = OK, we may have us a game here. I'm not going to pick the Cougars over the Terps, but Charleston has some players, and Bobby Cremins ain't afraid to play an ACC team. If the Terps are as sloppy with the ball as they were in their opener, this could be a scare . . . or an upset.

Texas vs. Louisiana Tech = The Bulldogs won their twenty the last two years, but they lost the better part of that team. They will also lose their first of this season in Austin tonight.


Tomorrow is another "off" night, but Friday will have a ton, a TON, of games. Some of them might even be good. Until then, then, enjoy.

[DocLogic77]

Being a Buckeye fan I'm excited about the upcoming season. We have some leadership back and some very special freshmen. But, I'm not sure they have enough beef in the middle to contend with some of the more physical teams. It should be a great season though.

[kelmac07]

Damn...Pitt barely got my Rhode Island. Here we go again.

[The Poet]

Being a Buckeye fan I'm excited about the upcoming season. We have some leadership back and some very special freshmen. But, I'm not sure they have enough beef in the middle to contend with some of the more physical teams. It should be a great season though.

I could see OSU making some noise this year. And though beef down low is important for defense and boarding, the college game is often more one of guards and wings. It will be interesting to see how this team develops.

Damn...Pitt barely got by Rhode Island. Here we go again.

Well, Mac I told you . . . twice even. First, I said that Pitt has never fully proven themselves to me, as there is a big difference between "good" and "great". Then, I flat-out said that Rhode Island is one feisty herd of Rams, and not some meek flock of sheep to be fleeced. But last night's game should make you feel a bit better:

# 5 Pittsburgh 97 - Ill. Chicago 54 = If you didn't see this spanking coming, you're not paying attention. It does not take a "great" team, but only a "good" one, to respond to a scare by stomping the next David that shows up in Goliath's gym.

But it wasn't a completely lost night for the state of Illinois:

# 13 Illinois 84 - Toledo 45 = This is more like the whipping the Illini should have handed out to UC Irvine in their opener, yet it still don't mean jack. We'll have to wait a few weeks to see what they have, after they visit Texas, host North Carolina, then go see Gonzaga. That may tell you something.

Speaking of Texas:

Texas 89 - Louisiana Tech 58 = Once again, you can't say I didn't warn you. This game, as well as the previous two, were in the books before the tip-off. Maybe had it been the ladies playing instead, it might have been a better game. But the Longhorns don't lose games like this one . . . they normally wait until they actually count.

And just to prove to you that I'm not totally clueless on the subject of college basketball:

Maryland 75 - Charleston 74 = Heeheeheeheehee. And Maryland had to come back for this, since they were down by 8 with 8 to play. I knew . . . I KNEW! . . . Charleston would give the Terps fits. People outside the South may not know these boys, but they should be looked at the same way Gonzaga on the other coast is considered. No, the won't ever win a National Championship, but they don't mind one bit beating one every now and then. This is a good program, and Bobby Cremins is at least as good a coach as is Gary Williams.


There are no games this evening, but I might be back a bit later to start the preview of Friday's marathon early madness. One way or the other . . . enjoy.

[tchariya]

Scary what Bruce Weber landed as a recruiting class for the Fighting Illini during this past weekend.

[The Poet]

Scary what Bruce Weber landed as a recruiting class for the Fighting Illini during this past weekend.

I looked for a "smilie" that said "THIS POST IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT NAMES", but I couldn't find one. :r Give me a few of them, and I'll tell you if it scares me too. Regardless, I don't think they'll win Illinois many games THIS year.

Being early in the season, it is hard to tell what games have meaning, and which are meaningless. Hey, are you gonna tell me you foresaw the seasons Butler and Northern Iowa had last year . . . or the season U. Conn or my Tar Heels did? So I'm going to give a quick rundown now of the contests involving ranked teams tomorrow, then try to go back later to pick out a few that . . . at the least . . interest me.

As for "Name Games", we'll have:

# 2 Michigan State vs. Eastern Michigan = An in-state battle that won't be much of one.

# 3 Kansas State vs. James Madison = In past years, JMU may have given K-State a game. This is not a past year.

# 4 Ohio State vs. N.C. A&T = Do you really have to wonder?

# 6 Villanova vs. Bucknell = Were this one of those scholar's College Bowls, we'd have a contest. But as it's not in the boardroom, but on the hardwood, we won't.

# 7 Kansas vs. Longwood = It seems the Jayhawks still won't have Josh Selby for this game. They won't need him, either.

# 8 North Carolina vs. Lipscomb = The Heels should be better this season. They won't have to be to win this one.

# 9 Florida vs. N.C. Wilmington = Off the top of my head, I could name a dozen teams from the Old North State who could give the Gators a better test.

# 10 Syracuse vs. Northern Iowa = Were this last year's NI team, this would be interesting, with their tough man-to-man pitted against the Orange zone. But this isn't last year's Northern Iowa team. Yet it ain't last year's 'Cuse team either. This could be half a game, for a half or so.

# 11 Kentucky vs. East Tennessee State = This shouldn't be half a game after the first ten minutes, even if Enes isn't "freed" . . . or if somebody else isn't "bought" on his behalf.

# 12 Gonzaga vs. Southern = The Zags are much too cocky for their own good, and will likely never be as good as they think they are. But they don't lose games like this one.

# 16 Baylor vs. Grambling State = The Bears had, for them, a phenomenal season last year. I don't expect this one to be better, but it won't get worse with this type of competition.

# 19 Memphis vs. Centenary = And by contrast, the Tigers had a "bad" season in the C-USA, at least by their normal standards. If their young talent, and young coach, are as good as their reputations, they will start their turnaround with a total walkover.

# 20 Georgetown vs. Old Dominion = Hmmmmmm. HMMMMMMMMM! Now, wait a second here. Could we actually have a real game here? The Hoyas have not been world-beaters in recent years, and the Monarchs were pretty damn good last year . . . and might even be better this one. If you only have time to watch one game tomorrow, this could be the one to pick.

# 21 Virginia Tech vs. Campbell = And this might be the one to skip. No, the Hokies ain't that great, and the Camels ain't that bad, but thing is . . . who cares? :r

# 22 Temple vs Seton Hall = The Owls have a decided edge here, and would even IF the Pirates hadn't had such a soap-opera going on the last few months. Next year, or maybe the next, and this could be more fun. This year, I'd expect the Hall to play as though lost . . . spelled with a LOT of "L"'s.

# 23 Tennessee vs. Chattanooga = And speaking of soap-operas, the Vols have had their share too. As for the Mocs, they may be better than they were, and could hang for a good part of this match-up. But just because they are not the "Mocks" does not mean they can win in Knoxville.

# 24 BYU vs. Fresno State = BYU is another of those teams I refuse to bvelieve in, until they prove me otherwise. Fresno State lost some key players from last year's squad, but still have a pretty decent team. It would not shock me if the Cougars and the Bulldogs have a real fight here.


So this is a quick breakdown of the "haves", and tomorrow I hope to get back to you about the "have-less". As for the "hapless" . . . well, you're reading his post now. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Speaking of Rhode Island, I remember a Murray State team that played them in Round 1 of the Dance several years back. One of MSU's better teams, led by future pro Marcus Brown. Jim Harrick's team tore them apart in the 2nd half, as MSU choked and started playing street ball instead of good, team B'ball. Where is Harrick these days anyway? Scandals ran him out of a couple of place, I remember, but have not heard of him in a few years now, or his son.

[The Poet]

Speaking of Rhode Island, I remember a Murray State team that played them in Round 1 of the Dance several years back. One of MSU's better teams, led by future pro Marcus Brown. Jim Harrick's team tore them apart in the 2nd half, as MSU choked and started playing street ball instead of good, team B'ball. Where is Harrick these days anyway? Scandals ran him out of a couple of place, I remember, but have not heard of him in a few years now, or his son.

According to Wikipedia, Harrick Sr. is now an analyst for Prime Ticket, a Southern California affiliate of Faux Sports Net. As for Junior, I don't know what he's up to, after he followed in his father's footsteps by getting booted out of Georgia for cheating and lying . . . like daddy did both there and earlier at UCLA. :r

And speaking of cheating and lying, it's time for me to pick my first 'Cat-fight with the Kentucky fans. The NCAA has decided that Enes Kanter will NOT be allowed to play for UK, due to his receipt of pay and benefits from a Turkish pro team over the previous two years. Calipari is not happy, and Kentucky will appeal this decision . . . naturally. As we all know, the only thing that matters in Lexington is winning, not how it is done.

If these dang customers stop coming in, nickel-and-diming me to death, I'll be back with a post on other action tonight.

[The Poet]

Before I'm damned for being unfair, let me point out that UK is not the only team starting the season with a "problem" player on/off the roster. Aside from Josh Selby at Kansas (academics), Georgetown's freshman center Moses Ayegba will miss the first 9 games because someone who was NOT a family member bought him a ticket from Nigeria to the US years ago, before he started high school here, and well before the Hoyas recruited him. John Thompson III is not happy that the NCAA rejected his appeal, yet though he has more reason to be upset than does Calipari, this John is moving on. Also in the Big East, Villanova freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkston will not be allowed to play, at the school's discretion, until his recent problem with assault charges are resolved. And Minnesota junior guard Devoe Joseph was suspended for violation of team rules.


It should be no surprise how hard it is to predict what team will be good and which games will be important this early in the season. Even considering only the supposedly best teams, it's dollars to donuts that at least a dozen of the pre-season Top 25 will drop out of the ranks at some point this year. Hey, it ain't rocket science, since that is based upon certain immutable priciples of physics, and can be predicted to a large extent. One is better served by channelling Socrates, and admitting that you know you do not know. This all being a given, let me share with you a few of tonight's games outside the rankings which interest me:

At this moment, with 5 minutes left, Gardner-Webb holds a 6-point lead over UNC-Charlotte. If this is any indication, the 49ers might be 86ers this year.

Virginia vs. William & Mary = As with many of these games, neither team is either bad nor good. And that's what may make it fun.

Princeton vs. Rutgers = The Battle of New Jersey . . . for what it's worth.

N.C. State vs. Tennessee Tech = My interest here is based more on what the Wolfpack may have this year. Lowe managed to snag a few good recruits, and they could be a factor in the middle of the ACC . . . though I doubt if they'll reach the summit.

Xavier vs. Western Michigan = The X-men have a consistently good program, so I'm always curious about how they play.

Miami vs. Jacksonville = And here's one of those proto-typical "so-so" match-ups that can lead to a real barn-burner.

St. Joseph's vs. Western Kentucky = Any old-timer like me would like to see the Hawks flying high again, after last year's broken-wing flop. They are supposed to have a few good additions, and this will be a decent early test.

Tulsa vs. App. State = Here again, two who may both come to play.


So, there you have some of my picks. Feel free to post your own, and . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Well, Gardner-Webb DID beat Charlotte, 78-70. Also, Kent State and Iona are in a 1-point struggle, with just under 8 minutes to go.

[jcruse64]

Gotta say, as much as I despise the Hoyas, they should have won their appeal for that player. That sucks!!!!

As for the Cats, I figured they were stretching it on Enes, but it would have been nice to have had him.

[The Poet]

Gotta say, as much as I despise the Hoyas, they should have won their appeal for that player. That sucks!!!!

As for the Cats, I figured they were stretching it on Enes, but it would have been nice to have had him.

Personally, I'm a stickler for the rules, and though I do agree that the Hoyas got screwed a bit, it is what it is. Man up, suck it up, and move along. Just my :2 , and worth every penny.

Gotta say, as much as I confess my dislike the Wildcats, I'm of one and a half minds about Enes. A part of me feels bad for the young man, yet he made his bed, thus has no reason to complain if it has lumps. As for UK, they can't in all honesty expect me to believe they did not know what Kanter was doing the last 2 years, so any defense of ignorance or unfairness falls on deaf ears. Hell, we're not talking about a "Jim Thorpe" situation here. Yet once again, just my :2.

Once I get a little work done, I'll be back to review yesterday's action, and preview some of this weekend's.

[The Poet]

Most of Friday's action were the blowouts one would expect this time of year, what with the big boys holding scrimmages against the also-rans, and never-rans, of college ball, but I did find a baker's dozen of notable scores:

# 3 Kansas State 75 - James Madison 61 = Yes, it's a win. Yes, it's double-digits. But for a program with "national" aspirations, it is not much of a statement . . . or at least, a POSITIVE one.

# 8 North Carolina 80 - Lipscomb 66 = Ditto. Highly-touted (or hyped, if you prefer) freshman Harrison Barnes had a better game than he did in his exhibition debut against Div. II Barton, but the Heels could not shake the pesky Bisons until late . . . and that's no bull.

# 9 Florida 70 - N.C. Wilmington 60 = Dit-3. If Billy Donovan plans to shake up the SEC this year, he needs his boys to do better than this.

# 20 Georgetown 62 - Old Dominion 59 = I had a feeling this would be one hell of a game. ODU had 2 leads of 8 points in the second half, and the Hoyas needed a 13-2 run to swipe one from the Monarchs.

# 21 Virginia Tech 70 - Campbell 60 = And we're back to the "no damn good excuse for this" catagory. A 10-point win against the depleted Camels? In Blacksburg? Please.

# 22 Temple 62 - Seton Hall 56 = So, here's the cream of the A-10 against the dregs of the Big East, and in Philly to boot. Not a good sign for the Owls.


Amongst the unranked (as of today, anyway):


N.C. Asheville 70 - Auburn 69 (OT) = It's a bit of a shock to me. Hey, I realize Auburn's not the hoops program it used to be, but . . . c'mon.

Georgia 72 - Miss. Valley State 70 = Speaking of the SEC, aren't the Bulldogs supposed to be a darkhorse in the conference? If this is any judge, not likely.

Kent State 73 - Iona 72 = I noted late yesterday that these two decent mid-majors were in a barn-burner. Seems like it burned to the ground.

Princeton 78 - Rutgers 73 = The Tigers are supposed to compete for the Ivy this year. The Scarlet Knights are supposed to improve, next year. So, no surprise here . . . but still. Yes, it's early, but so far the Big East hasn't been all that big.

Stetson 89 - Wake Forest 79 = Nor is this much of a statement for the ACC. Everybody predicted the Deacs would not be very demonic this year, but . . . sheesh!

Appalachian State 89 - Tulsa 86 = So, Asheville won in Alabama, and the boys from Boone won in Oklahoma. There's a party in those hills today! Ya-HOOOOOO! Mountain Do-It-To-You!

Xavier 68 - Western MIchigan 65 = The Musketeers should have ridden the rebuilding Broncos right out of the gym, yet needed a big 2nd half to nudge them out the exit. This, as well as many of the above scores, makes me wonder if it is just because it's early, or if this season will be one confusing cluster-fark.


There are a goodly number of games today, but few of them seem interesting. For instance, who really cares, one way or the other, that Buffalo has already stomped Navy, 88-46? But I'll take another look through them, and be back later with some selections . . . with emphasis NOT on the "select" part of that word.

[The Poet]

I've already indicated that it's pretty slim pickin's this weekend, but I found a handful or three which, for one or another reason, struck my jaundiced eye. Today:

# 5 Pittsburgh vs. North Florida = If this isn't over by the half, the Panthers are not for real. This will be Pitt's 3rd game, so that "it's early" excuse is wearing thin.

# 13 Illinois vs. Southern Illinois = Not exactly the same as above, but, yeah, pretty much so too.

# 17 Butler vs. Marian = And though Butler has an excuse, as it may take them a month to stop looking around for Gordon Hayward, nota bene . . . it's a Div. II opponent. And, at the moment, Butler's only up 6, nearing the break.

# 18 Washington vs. McNeese State = Last year the Pac-10 gave some evidence in the Tournament that they were not nearly as bad as the experts said. This game won't give any evidence to support that, as even a 50-point win proves jack.

# 25 San Diego State vs. Long Beach State = I don't expect the Aztecs to stay in the Top 25 very long. However, I don't expect them to drop out with a loss here.

Dayton vs. Mount St. Mary's = Dayton is the defending NIT champ, and Mount St. Mary's has a good history . . . though not recently. I picked this game before it tipped, and so far it's pretty close. I expect the Flyers to open it up, however.

George Mason vs. Harvard = GM was the darling of the NCAAs a few years back, and the Crimson made a jump from pretenders to contenders in the Ivy last season. Could be a pretty decent contest.

Iona vs. Cleveland State = Except for the particulars, same here. Decent programs, so a decent shot at a game.

Penn vs. Davidson = Here again . . . though I must admit that much of my fascination with this match-up is seeing the wealthy and priviledged banging heads and sweating bullets.

Weber St. vs. Utah St. = Unless my memory fails me, these two schools match up fairly well. Could be fun.


I'm gonna take my luch now, and will be back with early finals, and Sunday games. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Both Butler and Dayton have their respective games well in hand, with under 8 to play, just as one would expect. No shocks this afternoon.

Sunday's games will include:

# 1 Duke vs. Princeton = Doubtless the Dookie fanatics will be looking for a 40-point laugher. I think it will be half of that, or even a tad less, but it should be a W to begin their defense of the title. The Blue Devils are the superior team, but the Tigers are not the walk-overs that most big programs schedule for their openers.

# 10 Syracuse vs. Canisius = Again, I don't expect much of a contest. It's not because the Orange is that dominant, nor Canisius that terrible, but the skill level is not . . . level, that is. Jim Boeheim ain't the only one a full bubble off. ;)

# 12 Gonzaga vs. IUPUI = Seems like I remember something about IUPUI getting hammered by the NCAA for . . . something. I recall no details, and I could be wrong completely. But it shouldn't matter either way. The Zags, as I've said before, are NEVER as good as their mouths claim they are, but they are decidedly better than WTFAT (Who-The-Fark-Are-Them).

# 14 Purdue vs. Howard = Even without Hummel, the Boilermakers should steam-roller here.

# 22 Temple vs. Toledo = The Owls didn't exactly dominate Seton Hall, but I don't believe the Rockets can even get off the pad this year. If this one's not done by halftime, it's time to fire Fran.

Kent State vs. Cleveland State = Here, there's a possibility for some entertainment.

Indiana vs. Wright State = Here too. Besides, I'm always interested in seeing a program like the Hoosiers get back on track.

Notre Dame vs. Liberty = And on a Sunday, no less. I'm not sure the game will be that great, nor do I much care, but if we're lucky maybe another Reformation War will break out between the Papists and the Heretics. For Country, and God . . . mine, not yours! :D


That's it. That's all I got, for now. Until next week, enjoy.

[jcruse64]

"Personally, I'm a stickler for the rules, and though I do agree that the Hoyas got screwed a bit, it is what it is. Man up, suck it up, and move along. Just my , and worth every penny."

I'm not up on the situation or the rules applying. Got any details? If this young man was given a chance before high school to come here and live, how did the Sanctified Ones decide he was verbotten?

I also seem to remember something regarding IUPUI having some issues last season.

[The Poet]

"Personally, I'm a stickler for the rules, and though I do agree that the Hoyas got screwed a bit, it is what it is. Man up, suck it up, and move along. Just my , and worth every penny."

I'm not up on the situation or the rules applying. Got any details? If this young man was given a chance before high school to come here and live, how did the Sanctified Ones decide he was verbotten?

I also seem to remember something regarding IUPUI having some issues last season.

My knowledge of the NCAA rules are vague too (as some would argue the rules themselves are), but as I understand it any student athlete puts his amateur status at risk if he accepts anything . . . and I do mean ANYTHING . . . from anybody who is not related to said athlete, in the fear that a gift of any sort may influence him or her. For instance, a football player at my alma mater got investigated a month or so back because it came to light that he received a wristband to attend a pool party. And you may recall that John Wall had to sit out a few early games for UK last season because of $850 he got from his AAU coach while in high school, despite the fact that Wall repaid the coach. As for this Hoya player getting an airline ticket from Nigeria to the USA, which would be . . . what, maybe $1,000 value? . . . I can, as I said before, understand why Georgetown feels it should not be their problem, as they did not (as far as I know) have anything to do with it. On the other hand, a 9-game suspension at the beginning of the season, especially since the kid's only a freshman, is merely a rap on the knuckles at worst, and a slap on the wrist at best.

As for IUPUI, all 14 of their athletic programs face sanctions due to violations involving "an office outside the athletic department which tracks athletic eligibility". The violations were self-reported, the sanctions were self-imposed and upheld by the NCAA, and include 3 years probation, the loss of some scholarships, and the vacation of victories in 6 sports from 2003-07, including 18 men's basketball wins from '03-04.

I'll be back in a bit with your normal broadcasting schedule.

[NCRadioMan]

# 1 Duke vs. Princeton = Doubtless the Dookie fanatics will be looking for a 40-point laugher. I think it will be half of that, or even a tad less, but it should be a W to begin their defense of the title. The Blue Devils are the superior team, but the Tigers are not the walk-overs that most big programs schedule for their openers.



Nah, 40 is about right as the starters only played half of the second half. :D

And as you know, you can't defend something that can't be taken away. Duke is pursuing the '10-'11 Championship along with everyone else.

Kyrie Irving is a super-star in the making. I can't tell you how impressed with him I am and when Seth Curry is on, he really is a Curry. The only problem/dissapointment I see is that Irving will probably be NBA bound after this year.

a 9-game suspension at the beginning of the season, especially since the kid's only a freshman, is merely a rap on the knuckles at worst, and a slap on the wrist at best.

Agreed. They easily could have made in ineligible for the year.

[The Poet]

This first weekend of the season was pretty damn dull, which is to be expected to some extent, but perhaps not to this degree. What games that were not the pre-ordained blow-outs were otherwise fairly meaningless, or at least uninteresting. In fact, I did not see one single score from Saturday's action which piqued my pickle, so I'm gonna skip it completely. Of course, if any of YOU have one you'd like to post, please join in and do so. Sunday's action was little better, yet I did spot a few of note, minimal as it be:

Cleveland State 69 - Kent State 66 = Two mid-majors who are at least OK gave us a game.

Eastern Kentucky 64 - Indiana State 59 (OT) = Same story here.

Oregon 72 - UCSB 70 = What got me here was two things. First, it's not much of a win for a Pac-10 team over a "Who???" program like UCSB. Second, and in emphasis, UCSB had been beaten the day before 68-60 by powerhouse North Dakota State. So, does this mean the Pac-10 will get dissed all this year too? We shall see.

Finally, before I give you some games this evening, it perhaps is incumbant to give one final congratulations to the 2010 NCAA Champs by reporting:

On Sunday the Duke Blue Devils celebrated, first by channelling their inner Elizabeth Arden and slapping another coat of lipstick on that pig of a place, Cameron Indoor Sty-dium with their 2010 banner, then by defeating the school they pretend to be by crushing Princeton University 97-60. Yet, to be fair, neither the environment not the outcome would have been much different had the game been held in Jadwin Gym. :r


There are a few games involving ranked teams this evening, and a few others that may be pretty decent . . . or not:

# 7 Kansas vs. Valparaiso = Unless you're an alum of either school, don't bother tuning in.

# 19 Memphis vs. Miami = This one could be a bit better, but if UM's young talent can produce they should prevail over . . . uh, UM.

# 20 Georgetown vs. Tulane = If this does not go easier for the Hoyas than did their opener against ODU, then they are in deep trouble. I fully expect it shall go easier, however.

Richmond vs. William & Mary = This could be a snoozer, but for some reason I've just got a feeling. Yeah, I know . . . they make creams for that.

Pacific vs. Nevada = It's that same itch here again.

Murray State vs. East Tennessee State = Damn, it's starting to drive me nuts . . . or, to be more truthful, "putt" me nuts.

Minnesota vs. Siena = You Big Ten fans may think I'm kidding here, but I ain't.

USC vs. Santa Clara = You Pac-10 fans may think I'm kidding here, but I ain't.

St. Mary's vs. St. John's = Aside from the obvious "forbidden love" reason, I've just got that itch again. Ohhhhhh, John! Ohhhhhh, Mary! ;)



That's about it for now. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

And as you know, you can't defend something that can't be taken away. Duke is pursuing the '10-'11 Championship along with everyone else.

Kyrie Irving is a super-star in the making. I can't tell you how impressed with him I am and when Seth Curry is on, he really is a Curry. The only problem/dissapointment I see is that Irving will probably be NBA bound after this year.


Point A: True dat, but it still sounds like you're already making excuses. :r

Point B: Yeah, I'm curious to see Irving in action myself, just as I'm curious to see if Seth is half the shooter as his brother, or his daddy. And as for Irving being "one-and-done", I'll make you a deal: I'll do all I can to convince him to stay for a few years, if you do the same to persuade Harrison Barnes to stay in school. ;)

[NCRadioMan]

And as for Irving being "one-and-done", I'll make you a deal: I'll do all I can to convince him to stay for a few years, if you do the same to persuade Harrison Barnes to stay in school. ;)

Deal! :noon

And yes, Seth is a deadly spot-up shooter.

[The Poet]

Not many of the games last night were all that good, either despite or due to my itches, but a few scores jumped out at me:

# 19 Memphis 72 - Miami 68 = Yes, Josh Pastner has a young team. Yes, he has already kicked one of those freshmen off his squad. But to struggle like this with a so-so Miami team does not bode well.

Clemson 78 - Wofford 70 = And in Littlejohn, no less. Again, not a very good win.

Kennesaw State 80 - Georgia Tech 63 = But it ain't half as bad as this terrible loss. Sure, everybody expected the Yellow Jackets to be down this year, yet I myself did not think they'd be this rambled a wreck.

Oklahoma 71 - N.C. Central 63 (OT) = Even though the Sooners did wake up in the extra session, it is another crappy win. Speaking of waking up . . .

Wake Forest 63 - Hampton 56 = As with Ga. Tech, the Deacs are supposed to be down. This shows just how down.

Providence 58 - Yale 55 = The Friars haven't been a Big East factor in a while. The Elis aren't supposed to be one in the Ivy. This game may mean nothing in the long haul, but it sure is odd.

St. Mary's 76 - St. John's 71 = At long last, one of my "picks" for games last night actually turned out to be a decent one. Hey, even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then.


Action has already started today, most notably (so far) being # 17 Baylor's win over La Salle 74-64. That's an OK victory, but not a bold statement by the Bears. In other finals, Stony Brook, Kent State, and Northeastern have also won, with Norteastern outscoring Southern Illinois 3-2 in OT. Sheesh. Plus, as we speak # 3 Kansas State and # 22 Virginia Tech are having a war in Manhattan heading towards the half, in this first real test for both programs. I'll keep you posted. Later on, look for these games:

# 1 Duke vs. Miami OH = Another scrimmage for the Blue Devils.

# 2 Michigan State vs. South Carolina = This could be half a game, by which I mean the 'Cocks could be game for a half. If it is the second half, they might even pullet the upset.

# 4 Ohio State vs. # 9 Florida = And if this one isn't a game, then one of these coaches is going to be p!$$ed.

# 6 Villanova vs. Marist = And if this one's not over by the break, Jay Wright won't be right for days.

# 10 Syracuse vs. Detroit = I don't think there's any way Detroit can beat the Orange. I also don't think there's any way all but the most fanatic fans won't fall asleep during this one.

# 11 Gonzaga vs. # 25 San Diego State = Remember a few days ago, me saying that I didn't think the Aztecs would stay in the rankings very long? Well, here you go . . . and there they go.

# 16 Butler vs. Louisville = After what they did last season, I don't wish to diss Butler. Plus, I'm neither a Cardinal nor a Pitino fan. But it would not shock me to see the Bulldogs get bitten, here in the opening game at the new KFC Crum-bucket Arena.

# 17 Washington vs. Eastern Washington = If the Pac-10 wants to regain any props at all, this needs to be a blow-out.

# 24 Tennessee vs. Belmont = Hmmm. Were I a betting man, I may put a few bucks on the Vols. But it would only be a few bucks. UT is in turmoil, Pearl is in a pickle, and Belmont is no patsy.

Wake Forest vs. VCU = If the Deacs play like they did against Hampton, they'll get their cassocks altered.

Georgia vs. Colorado = Here are a pair of darkhorses who could give us a close one.

Florida State vs. Gardner-Webb = No, I'm not joking here. Gardner-Webb's win over UNC-Charlotte means one hell of a lot more than the Seminoles' one over UNC-Greensboro.

New Mexico vs. Arizona State = Desert warfare here, with two programs trying to move up a level.


At the half, K-State leads the Hokies by a point, 30-29. Hold on to your hats.

[The Poet]

Hokies up 2, 15:16 left.



Whoops! Now it's tied @ 38 all.

[The Poet]

Wildcats have opened up 6-point lead with 11:00 to play.

[The Poet]

Up 7, 8:08. Hokies need some stops.

[The Poet]

Up 9, 6 1/2. Just checked the boxscore, and it's brick city out there. Both teams shooting about 32% from the field, and 50% from the stripe. Criminy . . . or criminal.

[The Poet]

With under 5 to play, K-State 64-49. I would like to say they are pullin' away, but Pullen's only scored 11 of those.

[The Poet]

Under 4 minutes, and Wildcats have it in hand, 66-49. Also, those other Wildcats, Villanova, have already doubled-up on Marist 2/3rds through the first.

[The Poet]

It's all over in Manhattan . . . Kansas, that is. K-State 73-57 over Hokies. And it should be all over in Villanova too, but those 'Cats are only up a dozen heading towards the half. Meanwhile, it's just started in Gainsville, with the Buckeyes and Gators trading early jabs.

[The Poet]

It's about time to lock up and go home, so I'll leave you by saying 'Nova has an unimpressive 13-point edge early in the 2nd, while the Gators have a pretty meaningless 6-point advantage with 7 left in the first . . . though that's better than being down 6, I'll grant you. With that, I'm out for today. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Again, skipping over the blow-outs (for the most part, anyway) and the "who the fark cares" games, the balance of yesterday's action included:

# 4 Ohio State 93 - # 9 Florida 75 = Here's that one spanking which is notable. This game was close, then all of a sudden it wasn't. Plus, it was in Gainsville. It is too early to say the Buckeyes are that good, or the Gators over-rated, or if this was just one of those games teams sometimes have, when somebody puts a lid on their basket. Hell, my Heels had a dozen of those last year. In a month or three, we'll know better.

# 2 Michigan State 82 - South Carolina 73 = Some Spartan faithful might be concerned that this game got this close. Shoot, if the 'Cocks had had even a so-so first half (they only scored 25 before the break), this would have been a nail-biter. But remember that SC was the first team to beat Kentucky last season, so a walkover was not likely.

# 10 Syracuse 66 - Detroit 55 = Unlike the one above, this win would worry me a bit, were I Orange and not Blue. The 55 allowed is just fine. The 66 scored is pitiful.

# 25 San Diego State 79 - # 11 Gonzaga 76 = Here's one that shocks me. I mean no diss to the Aztecs, despite my predictions regarding them, but the Zags just don't lose games like this in Spokane. What factor the loss to injury of their star forward Elias Harris late in the game was to Gonzaga getting nipped, I can't say. But if they have lost him for a good portion of the season, and if their performance here is a true indication, the Zags may have a longer (or would that be shorter?) season than they are accustomed to. As for the Aztecs, good for you. Keep it up.

Louisville 88 - # 16 Butler 73 = This one does not shock me at all. Not only is L'ville a decent team with a storied past, with a winning coach, and opening up a new building, but a program that loses a player like Hayward will have those games when they are still looking around for somebody else to make a play. So, for those of you who were looking forward to that upcoming Duke/Butler rematch . . . you ain't gettin' it.

Virginia Commonwealth 90 - Wake Forest 69 - And I end the recap with another blow-out, significant for a different reason. VCU is a pretty good program, so the win should not be a surprise. However, the size of it may give you just some indication of how far down the Deacs have slipped.


Tonight's action will feature:


#6 Villanova vs. Boston U. = Don't expect much of a fight from BU here.

# 14 Purdue vs. Alcorn State = Nor here.

# 19 Memphis vs. Northwestern State = And as I've never even HEARD of N'western State, not here either.

# 23 BYU vs. Utah State = OK, may be a game for a half and a half, though maybe not for two halves.

# 24 Tennessee vs. Missouri State = Ibid.

South Alabama vs. Southern Mississippi = OK, may be a game.

Murray State vs. Mississippi = OK, will be a game.

Wisc. Green Bay vs. Marquette = Neither program is what it was once, so could be competitive.


Of course, you never know when some game you don't expect pops up and becomes a battle royale, so keep you ears on. In all cases . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

I've gotten a late start on this today (damn work! damn customers!), so lemme jump on it. Yesterday, of note:

# 6 Villanova 82 - Boston U. 66 = Does not sound all that close, but BU only scored 24 in the first half, then played 'Nova even in the second. The fans may be happy, but I'd bet Jay Wright isn't.

# 23 BYU 78 - Utah St. 72 = I thought this would be a close game, and it was closer than the Cougars wanted.

# 24 Tenn. 60 - Missouri State 56 = Same story here.

Seattle 83 - Oregon State 80 = And here we go again, with the "WTF happened to the Pac-10" trashing.

Chattanooga 73 - Kennesaw St. 69 = And why pick this one? Well, the Mocs got their first win, and Kennesaw took their first loss . . . after stomping Ga. Tech.

Ole Miss 77 - Murray State 61 = This is for all those MSU fans out there. Hey, I know there's one of you, at least.


Today action has already kicked off. Down in Puerto Rico, at the annual Bobby Knight Memorial Chair-Toss Competition, WVa has beaten Davidson 84-70, and Vandy "outscored" Nebraska 59-49 in what I assume was basketball, not football. And, at the half, UNC holds a slim edge over Hofstra at 58-33. My Heels did not need to play better than they did in their opener to take this game, as it seems they are on their way to doing, but they needed to do considerably better to give evidence they deserve a ranking, much less a Top Ten one. Maybe they are doing so. In other games to follow, there or elsewhere, keep an eye on:


# 3 Kansas State vs. Presbyterian = There are not enough prayers out there to spare one for Presbyterian. The Blue Hose get hosed.

# 5 Pitt vs. Maryland = Don't let Pitt's ranking, or the Terps "problems" with Charleston, fool you. This will be a test for both teams, and could be a tight one. Give Pitt the edge, but don't expect a spanking.

# 9 Florida vs. N.C. A&T = The Gators bounce back from their whipping by the Buckeyes . . . for what it's worth.

# 13 Illinois vs. Texas = Yeah, this has a shot at being a total war.

# 15 Missouri vs. Western Ill. = This, not so much.

# 17 Baylor vs. Jackson State = Nor this.

Minnesota vs. Western Kentucky = OK, now this one's a bit better. No, quite a bit better.

N.C. State vs. East Carolina = And this one could be good too. If nothing else, it may give us a chance to see if the Wolfpack's touted recruits can actually play.

Virginia vs. Stanford = They may be bottom-dwellers, but it is still an ACC/Pac-10 matchup. Could turn into a fight.


I may be back today, I may not. Regardless . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Just checked the boxscore on Heels/Hofstra, which is turning into a laugher. Midway thru the second, UNC is 11-18 from the charity stripe . . . and 10-12 from beyond the arc. Whoa!

[SD Beerman]

[QUOTE=The Poet;1065129]

# 25 San Diego State 79 - # 11 Gonzaga 76 = Here's one that shocks me. I mean no diss to the Aztecs, despite my predictions regarding them, but the Zags just don't lose games like this in Spokane. What factor the loss to injury of their star forward Elias Harris late in the game was to Gonzaga getting nipped, I can't say. But if they have lost him for a good portion of the season, and if their performance here is a true indication, the Zags may have a longer (or would that be shorter?) season than they are accustomed to. As for the Aztecs, good for you. Keep it up.

I've been watching the Aztecs for several years and they have been getting better over the last few. I watched that game and they led the entire game. They kept Harris down all game. And winning in Spokane says a lot about this team. Hopefully they can keep it going.:noon

[The Poet]

I've been watching the Aztecs for several years and they have been getting better over the last few. I watched that game and they led the entire game. They kept Harris down all game. And winning in Spokane says a lot about this team. Hopefully they can keep it going.:noon

Well, they were certainly better than Few that night. :r


My Heels are rapidly approaching the century mark, and Hofstra just bested 50. Meanwhile, in other Old North State action, Moo You and Eazy Teasy are in one tight war, at least in the first stanza. A few will get that joke.

[The Poet]

Final: UNC 107- Hofstra 63. Nothing to brag about, but better than their first game, for sure.


I'm out. Later.

[The Poet]

Before I get into scores and schedules, there's one sizable story to present. The SEC has suspended Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl for the first 8 conference games for "violating NCAA rules and misleading investigators". It is important to note that this is a move by the SEC commissioner, persuant to his authority to do so, and will NOT preclude any additional or more severe future sanctions which the NCAA itself may impose, following the conclusion of their own investigations.


Some of the other scores from yesterday not yet covered, which jumped out at me:


# 3 Kansas State 76 - Presbyterian 67 = Good lord. Presbyterian? Are you kiddin' me? Talk about your bad wins. For at least the next month, I don't wanna hear any K-State fans cryin' that they ain't gettin' no respect.

# 5 Pitt 79 - Maryland 70 = Now here is a good 9-point win for you.

Texas 90 - # 13 Illinois 84 = And here's an even better 6-point one for the Longhorns.

# 15 Missouri 66 - Western Illinois 61 = Well, at least one team from the Land of Lincoln showed up to play. Or maybe the Big 12 ain't nearly as big as it thinks it is.

Santa Clara 66 - Rice 65 = One nice tight victory for Santa Clara here. It's not the biggest win the Broncos have ever had, but it's a good one nonetheless.

Iona 81 - Richmond 77 (2OT) = And here's an even nicer, tighter win for the Gaels over the Spiders.


So far today, West Virginia has sent Vandy packing from Puerto Rico, 74-71, while ODU's dispatched St. Peter's 59-52. Neither game was high-powered, but both were competitive. In action to follow:

# 1 Duke vs. Colgate = Colgate? Hey, everybody eats some cupcakes in November, I realize that. But I took a look at Dook's non-conference schedule, and they aren't playing much of anybody all year! OK, after this they have Marquette and Oregon, then Michigan State and Butler, then Bradley, St. Louis, Elon, UNC-G, UAB, St, John's, Temple . . . yes, there are a few tests in there, but mostly they are pop-quizzes.

# 5 Pitt vs. Texas = Now here, here we have us a game. Let's see if the Longhorns can build upon their "upset" of the Illini, or if the Panthers keep moving beyond their win against the Terps.

# 7 Kansas vs. North Texas = Ehhhhh. Pass.

# 8 UNC vs. Minnesota = This will be the Heels first real test. Seems that Roy Williams wants to run again. If the Gophers try to do so, heels may be all they see, all night long. But if they can control the pace and limit the possessions, they could keep the score lower and have at least a decent shot.

# 11 (for now) Illinois vs. Maryland = Here are two good teams, both coming off of painful losses. It shapes up to be a total war.

# 12 Kentucky vs. Portland = As would you, I'd expect this one to be over early.

N.C. State vs. George Mason = This pits the darling of the 2006 NCAA Tourney against a previous one . . . if anyone beside me is old enough to remember 1983. I'd expect the Wolfpack to have about as easy a time as they did yesterday against ECTC, but with young talent one can never tell.

Xavier vs. Iowa = And this matches a perennial mid-major factor against a perennial Big Ten non-factor. Still, it could be reasonably close.


I saw no early Saturday games of much interest, so I will wait until noonish to report. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

At the half, Illinois over Maryland 40-36. Just about what you'd expect.

[The Poet]

Illini up 10, but still 7 minutes to go.

[The Poet]

At the half NC State over Geo. Mason 45-38. Meanwhile, Hofstra at the break leads Western Kentucky 24-21 . . . perhaps on a late 35-yard fieldgoal kick.

[Wanger]

Gophers knock off the Tarheels. Didn't see the game, but from what I've read, Sampson and Mbakwe were all over the place. This is the 3rd straight year Tubby has knocked off a top 10 team. Could they make a big run this year? Who knows? But I'll bet it's fun to watch. :)

[The Poet]

Gophers knock off the Tarheels. Didn't see the game, but from what I've read, Sampson and Mbakwe were all over the place. This is the 3rd straight year Tubby has knocked off a top 10 team. Could they make a big run this year? Who knows? But I'll bet it's fun to watch. :)

Yes they did, and congrats to the Gophers for a big win. It is NOT the "stunning upset" some reports want us to believe, however. Minnesota is always a tough Big Ten team, and Tubby an excellent coach (one who keeps getting run outta town for no damn good reason, it seems). The Gophers kept the score low enough to handle, with a LOT of help from the Heels. There were only 14 fewer shots taken collectively than in UNC's rout of Hofstra, but the Heels couldn't hit $#!+. For instance, "super-freshman" Harrison Barnes took 12 shots, and hit none. Here's why I don't buy into hype. Minnesota may deserve at least some credit for that . . . like Wanger, I did not watch it. Minnesota could very well have a nice, if not big, run this season. As for Carolina, they may progress into a good team, just as Barnes may become a great player. Neither is the case for now.

In other action yesterday:

# 5 Pitt 68 - Texas 66 = The Longhorns may have shown they are for real, despite the loss. Pitt hasn't shown they are a #5 team yet, and this provides no additional evidence. It's a good win for them, but that's about all you can say.

# 13 Illinois 80 - Maryland 76 = Pretty much the same story here. It's a nice bounce-back victory for the Illini, but a second painful loss by the Terps indicates just about as much of their abilities. Remember, they are still trying to adjust to life after Vasquez.

Rhode Island 75 - Charleston 66 = Man, I don't know how I missed this one. Two good mid-majors, head-to-head? It was bound to be a nice game.

Kent State 78 - Furman 74 (OT) = But nobody could have predicted this one, so gimme a pass here.

Mississippi State 76 - Appalachian State 74 = In Starksville, no less! And remember, the Mountaineers beat Tulsa in Oklahoma in their opener. Maybe the Southern Conference is getting another dawg in the pound.

ODU 59 - St. Peter's 52 = Games like this, especially early in the season, interest me. Are either of these teams any good, or are they both crap? That's part of the fun.

Xavier 86 - Iowa 73 = But you can almost always expect the X-men to field a decent squad. When a mid-major beats a team from a "big" conference by double-digits, it means something . . . even if it is the Hawkeyes.


Let's move on to contests today. These, for various reasons, pop out:


# 4 Ohio State vs. N.C. Wilmington = Yeah, OK. Well, I guess they both have to play somebody, right?

# 6 Villanova vs. Lafayette = " " . " , " " " " " " " " , " ?

# 15 Missouri vs. North Florida = North Florida? There's a NORTH Florida? Who'da thunk?

# 16 Butler vs. Ball State = Butler wants to rebound from their spanking in Louisville. Ball State may be in for a long day. Yet Butler may be in for a considerably shorter season.

# 25 San Diego State vs. Wisc. Green Bay = I'm not gonna pick against the Aztecs again, until they show me something otherwise. That goes twice today.

# 23 BYU vs. Chicago State = The Cougars will win this game against the Cougars, and will NOT post a boastful taunt on their scoreboard afterwards. And yes, I know this is "out-of-order" re the rankings, but I have my reason. Namely . . .

Utah State vs. Southern Utah = The Aggies were the target of said taunt, after their loss the other night to BYU, where they were encouraged to enjoy it. But here's the odd thing that struck me: Is Utah State not allowed out of the state of Utah for some reason? They opened against Weber St., lost that BYU game, play SU today, then face Utah. WTF?

Wisconsin vs. UNLV = Talk about your contrast of programs, not to mention universities! The Badgers love to plod along, and welcome all the contact. The Rebels want to be . . . well, Runnin' . . . and the only contact that interests them is with an agent. :D

UAB vs. Arizona State = These two want to move up in the world. UAB has been there (sort of) in the past, and the Sun Devils got a tiny taste that ended bitterly last season. Might be a nice tight contest.

Dayton vs. Mississippi = Hey, I could say much the same thing about this one. So, I won't. Why repeat myself?


I'll take a break now, and come back with some Sunday games to keep your eyes on, plus maybe an update of afternoon action.

[The Poet]

There are some scores from today already, but aside from Siena taking Northeastern the only one of note is Butler handling Ball State handily, leading by about 20 midway thru the 2nd. As for Sunday, there are more games with potential than we'll see today:


# 8 (for now) UNC vs. Vanderbilt = We will see if the Heels learned their lesson from the Gophers, and show up to handle the Comms.

# 9 Florida vs. Morehead State = Should be over by the half, but you've got to watch the supposed "good" teams in these, just to see what they have . . . if anything.

# 10 Syracuse vs. William & Mary = Ditto.

# 14 Purdue vs. Oakland = Ibid.

# 19 Memphis vs. LSU = This one's a harder call. Memphis had problems with Miami, but LSU lost to powerhouse Nicholls State. Me, I'm betting the farm that the Tigers will win.

# 20 Georgetown vs. N.C. State = OK, now this is more like it. I could see this going down to the wire.

# 22 Va. Tech vs. N.C. Greensboro = And I could see this going south . . . well, actually "north" . . . by the half.

# 25 San Diego State vs. IUPUI = I already told you . . . I'm going with the Aztecs until somebody cuts their hearts out.

Davidson vs. West. Kentucky = Davidson's not what they were, but W Ky. ain't exactly the big boys of that state.

Indiana vs. Evansville = And Indiana's not been what it was in a looooong time, but they are getting closer. This in-state game should get them one step nearer.

Miami vs. Rutgers = Given that nobody knows nuttin' about nobody so far, this one is interesting, as we have no idea at all who these two will be.

Michigan vs. Gardner-Webb = OK, on the surface you might think this one is a gimme for the Wolverines. That could be the case, but remember that Gardner-Webb beat Charlotte, while UM has beaten . . . nobody.

USC vs. New Mexico State = Another of those "who are these guys gonna be" games.

Creighton vs. Iowa State = This just smells like a competitive one to me.

Bradley vs. TCU = I smell that smell again.

ODU vs. Clemson = Sniff sniff.

Minnesota vs. West Virginia = Neither of these teams were forecast to compete in their conference. This may give us some indication if either, or both, can do so.

Xavier vs. Seton Hall = Anytime a good mid-major goes up against a poor big-conference squad, fun things can happen.


That's gonna be about it until Monday, unless some striking news breaks. So until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

No, I'm not late in getting back to this because my Heels dropped their second game in a row Sunday. Rather, these crazy women I work with keep ordering this crap that will never sell . . . German Spatlese Eiswein, semi-sweet reds from that Georgia without the peaches, Armenian brandy in crystal shoes, fer Krissakes! . . . then leave it for me to price and find some freakin' place to put it, usually by moving the crap that will never sell that they bought LAST week! So this one's gonna be quick and dirty, so feel free to add you own insights.


On Saturday 11/20, on my list there was:


Arizona State 69 - UAB 66 = Good showing by both teams.

Campbell 61 - Auburn 54 = They fired my boy Jeff Lebo at the end of last season, after they went 15-17 following their 24-12 campaign the previous year, and gave the task to Tony Barbee. This loss to Campbell was preceeded by ones to N.C. Asheville, and Samford . . . I said SAMford, not Stanford.

Chattanooga 69 - Marshall 68 = Another good game.

Dayton 78 - Ole Miss 71 (OT) = I figured this one could be close.

San Jose State 75 - Oregon 72 = I didn't figure this one would.

Georgia 61 - St. Louis 59 = Early this year, there's a trend for "also-rans" to challenge the big conferences.

UC Riverside 73 - SMU 69 (OT) = See what I mean?


On Sunday 11/21:

TCU 74 - Bradley 68 = I think I picked this one as one to watch also.

Coastal Carolina 79 - Charlotte 75 = I think nobody picked this one.

Auburn 68 - Middle Tenn. State 66 = Well, good for the Tigers, who get their first win of the season . . . barely.

Florida 61 - Morehead State 55 = It's a win, I guess, but jeez.

Iowa State 91 - Creighton 88 = And I believe I gave this one a nod too.

ODU 61 - Clemson 60 = Here too, and another tight fight.

Texas Southern 66 - Oregon State 60 = OK, maybe I'm not one to talk, but are you kiddin' me?

Syracuse 63 - William & Mary 60 = And you thought the Gators' win was iffy.

Ill. Chicago 74 - Rhode Island 66 = The result, and the margin, both surprise me.

Minnesota 74 - West Virginia 70 = A nice hard-fought championship game down in Puerto Rico.

Vanderbilt 72 - UNC 65 = What can you say? The Heels are getting shots, and missing them, just like they did too much of last year. Hey, you play like crap, that's what you are. Congratulations to the Comms for beating a ranked (for now) team for the first time in about 2 years.

Wofford 82 - George Mason 79 (OT) = See? You don't have to go all that far, or spend all that much, to catch a good game.


So far today, U. Conn has edged Wichita State 83-79, and two more "also-rans" showed up to play, what with St. Peter's taking Alabama 50-49 and Long Beach St. over Iowa 78-72. In action to follow:


# 1 Duke vs. Marquette = OK, it's not a total cupcake game, so maybe we'll see if Dook can actually play a little.

# 4 Kansas State vs. # 22 Gonzaga = And here too, maybe the Wildcats will get a test.

# 8 Kentucky vs. Oklahoma = I don't expect a whole lot from the Sooners, but I'm not sure it will take nearly as much to push these Wildcats this year. Maybe this game will give some evidence, one way or the other.

# 12 Baylor vs. Lipscomb = On the one hand, Lipscomb gave UNC a pretty good game. On the other, maybe that ain't sayin' all that much. I'll know better tomorrow . . . at least about Lipscomb.

# 13 Washington vs. Virginia = Ehhh, could be interesting, and may give us some idea what these 2 teams really are.

# 18 San Diego State vs. Miami OH = Go Aztecs! Fried quetzalcoatl for the whole team!

Seton Hall vs. Clemson = I don't expect either team to make any serious noise this year, but I do expect they will both show up to play.

Princeton vs. James Madison = Same here.

Xavier vs. ODU = Halfway the same way here, in that the X-men may toot a bit, and ODU's been known to tweet some also.


That's about all I have time for. Sorry for the hit-and-miss coverage. Fill in all the gaps you wish. Until later then. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

There were a fair number of interesting scores last night, and even more potential for good action this evening, so lemme get to it. Last night:

# 1 Duke 82 - Marquette 77 = In their first real test of the season, the Blue Devils were indeed tested by the Golden Eagles. Maybe Marquette is better this year than they have been in recent campaigns, maybe Dook is still trying to find its game, or maybe they ain't quite as good as they want to think they are. We may find out more later today.

#2 Michigan State 82 - Chaminade 74 = OK, it's not the 1982 upset over Ralph Sampson's # 1 Virginia team, but it is still a damn good showing . . . again . . . by the Silverswords. As for the Spartans, not so much.

# 17 Baylor 72 - Lipscomb 60 = And OK, so maybe the similiar-sized win by UNC over Lipscomb was not a fluke. No, I don't mean that the Heels are that bad, and thus by extension so are the Bears (though that could be the case), but that Lipscomb might just have a pretty decent team.

Hampton 51 - Boston U. 50 = Agreed that these are not marquee teams, and nobody much cares, but it sure was a tight one.

Clemson 64 - Seton Hall 58 (OT) = Though not as tight as this one, with two teams that are, if not "above the fold", at least are on the front page.

Dayton 61 - Savannah State 59 = Who the hell is Savannah State? And why did the Flyers have such problems with them?

U. Conn 83 - Wichita State 79 = It remains to be seen if either of these two teams are "back", but they sure gave us an entertaining matchup.

James Madison 65 - Princeton 64 = Pretty much the same story here, albeit on a slightly lower plane.

Mississippi State 82 - Detroit 76 = I seem to recall that Miss. St. had a damn decent team last year. Does anybody know why they had so much trouble with Detroit?

Niagara 65 - Mount St. Mary's 63 = Anyone with even a reasonably lengthy working knowledge of NCAA hoops history has a soft spot for Mount St. Mary's, thanks entirely to Jim Phelan's legacy. So it's nice to see them compete well, even if they lose.

Winthrop 83 - Wake Forest 74 = As has been stated already, everyone expected the Deacs to be down this year. However, I'm not sure they were expected to be dead. Winthrop? Please.


This evening there are a slew of good games, some of which are already in progress. For instance, Belmont leads the aforementioned Winthrop by 15 at the break, and Virginia's over Oklahoma by the same amount. To follow, we'll have:


# 1 Duke vs. # 4 Kansas State = This has to be the "top" matchup, not only of the night but of the season to date . . . at least, if the ranking have any basis in reality. This game may give us some indication if one or the other of these teams are for real. Or, it may not. But it should be fun regardless.

# 2 Michigan State vs. U. Conn = And one could easily, at least in past years, see this as the last game of the year, for all the marbles. Give the Spartans the decided edge in it, but don't be shocked if it gets a bit hairy at times.

# 3 Ohio State vs. Morehead State = Here too we have two teams, and they will play a game of basketball. :rolleyes:

# 5 Pittsburgh vs. Robert Morris = Yep, here too.

# 6 Kansas vs. TAMU Corpus Christi = Body of the Islanders, offered up to Jayhawks.

# 8 Kentucky vs. # 13 Washington = Now this one is more like it. We don't really know which, if either, of these teams are for real, but at least we know they both have some talent.

# 10 Purdue vs. Austin Peay = And one of these two has some talent also.

# 11 Missouri vs. Wyoming = I know nothing, NOTHING, of the Cowboys. I don't need to know all that much to go with the Tigers here.

# 14 Memphis vs. Tenn - Martin = And I'll stick with the Tigers here.

# 16 Florida vs. Fla. Atlantic = Yeah, right.

# 19 Illinois vs. Yale = Seems the Illini won't be atop the Big Ten this year, but I think they could compete in the Ivy.

# 20 Texas vs. Sam Houston State = This should be the Alamo for the Bearkats . . . who, apparently, cannot even spell C-A-T.

# 22 Gonzaga vs. Marquette = Here's a danged interesting one. We have no idea if the Zags are as good as they have been in the past, and have some indication that Marquette may be better. This could tell us something.

# 23 BYU vs. Mississippi Valley St. = The Delta Devils visit Provo . . . if they are allowed in. ;) If not, the forfeit would be the same result as the game.

# 25 UNC vs. N.C. Asheville = The Heels need to right their ship, or put themselves in danger of sliding down the same slope which hurt them last year. Asheville did beat Auburn, so they are not a push-over. But Carolina's back in the Dean Dome, so let's hope the home-cooking helps. Or not, if you're one of those "ABC" fans. :r

LaSalle vs. Providence = As we speak, LaSalle has a double-digit lead, but the 2nd half's not half done. I'd not be surprised if it tightens up.

Butler vs. Siena = This matches up a pair of solid mid-major programs. This game may give us an early clue if either will step up this year.

Wake Forest vs. Marist = And this might give us a clue if Wake is just bad, or absolutely horrible.

UAB vs. South Alabama = Here's one of those games about which I've just got that feeling.


I might be back to post a few early finals, or I may not. In eithe case . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Belmont has totally creamed the Winthrop team that beat Wake yesterday, by a 71-44 margin. Also, it seems both Virgina and LaSalle will hold on for wins over Oklahoma and Providence, respt.

[The Poet]

I tried to get an earlier start on this today, but $#!+ happens. So I'm finally going to jump into last night's games:

# 1 Duke 82 - # 4 Kansas State 68 = The Dook win does not surprise me, but the margin does a little. But on the other hand, I have already confessed that I haven't much faith in K-State (or Pitt or Texas or a few others) until they actually do something. Last night, they didn't do nearly enough.

U. Conn 70 - # 2 Michigan State 67 = OK, now this one does surprise me. The Huskies weren't much last year, and are supposed to be in shambles on and off the court this one, while the Spartans are already pencilled into the Final Four by many. Well, not if they play like this.

# 3 Ohio State 64 - Morehead State 45 = And although the margin is at least OK here, the fact that the Buckeyes only scored 64 against a weaker team hit by sanctions does not please Thad Matta, and should not please the OSU fans.

# 8 Kentucky 74 - # 13 Washington 67 = This is about the tight contest you'd expect, although the scoring seems a bit low. Still, a fairly well-played competitive game all around.

# 11 Missouri 72 - Wyoming 62 = Not very impressive for the Missou Tigers, especially when you note that Wyoming only scored 20 in the first half. But a win is a win, I guess.

# 14 Memphis 102 - Tenn-Martin 80 = Well, we now know that these Tigers can score a little. And we also know that they can defend a damn little. Giving up 80 to Tennessee-Martin? When the Skyhawks only scored 59 against their only other "name" opponent so far this year, LSU? And in Memphis no less? Yes, I know the team and the coach are young, as I've said before. But crap like this will age them fast, if it does not kill them first.

# 16 Florida 79 - Florida Atlantic 66 = It's pretty much the same story here. If the Gators (who got stomped by the Buckeyes) can only manage this, what will they do when the SEC wars start?

# 22 Gonzaga 66 - Marquette 63 = To me, this one's not so much about the winner, but rather about the loser. After winning their first 4 games, Marquette gave both Dook and the Zags all they could handle. Keep you eye on the Golden Eagles. Maybe they are back.

# 25 North Carolina 80 - N.C. Asheville 69 = And maybe Carolina is back to the same garbage they pulled last year. After building up a 20+ point lead in the second half, they p!$$ed most of it away, then had to turn up the engine a few notches in the last five minutes to earn the "meh" victory. Roy's not happy, I'm not happy, but it is what it is, and better than a loss.

North Texas 68 - Rice 65 = And I thought this one interesting, for "WTF?" reasons. Alright, I realize Rice ain't no powerhouse in college hoops, but still . . . .

Ohio 78 - Valparaiso 75 = One of those nice mid-majors matchups I like. We all remember Valpo's run back in '98, what with Bryce Drew's buzzer-beater, and some of you (especially you Hoyas) may remember OU knocking Georgetown out last year. And I'd betcha 20 bucks coulda got you seats to this game too.

St. Mary's 121 - Chicago State 52 = What? One-twenty-one to fitty-too? Are you freakin' kiddin' me? By St. Mary's, and not a vintage UNLV or Loyola-Marymount team? And in case you think they were just running up the score, take note: This is the fourth loss by Chi. State of over 100 points, out of the 5 games they have played. This, THIS is the reason I'm not so much in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament as I am of shrinking the number of Division 1 teams . . . maybe by as much as half.

Appalachian State 0 - Tennessee Tech 0 = That's because the game was "postponed", and will not be rescheduled. And THAT'S because App. State forgot to provide any officials to call the game, and these two teams don't have an open date to make it up later. And speaking of "making it up" . . . well, you really can't sometimes.


Action has already begun today, with Chaminade getting another good upset by beating the Sooners out in Maui 68-64, while # 2 Michigan State has an early (and meaningless) lead over # 13 Washington. Games to follow include:


# 7 Villanova vs. UCLA = The Bruins are not what they once were, but then again 'Nova ain't exactly been blowing the doors off their competition either. It could be pretty tight, at least for a while.

# 8 Kentucky vs. U. Conn = And if the Huskies can follow up on what they did to the Spartans, this WILL be a tight one.

# 11 Missouri vs LaSalle = Missou's been playing decent, for their rating. LaSalle's been playing well, for their lack of one. Could be a decent game here.

# 15 Minnesota vs. North Dakota State = And this one could be over by the break.

# 24 Tennessee vs. VCU = Like the Missou/LaSalle game, we might have some nice action here.

Rhode Island vs. Drexel = Don't know what Drexel has this year, but they normally show up to play. As for the Rams, they ain't half bad. Might be fun.

Virginia vs. Wichita State = Same here. Neither of these teams suck, so the game probably won't.


And then, for those of you who get gorged on all the football on Turkey Day, you can ease your pants open a bit with these games:


# 21 Temple vs. California = The Owls are supposed to be pretty good, and the Golden Bears weren't half-bad last year, so this may be worth watching.

Boston College vs. Texas A&M = This may give us a clue as to whether or not either of these two can actually ball a little.

DePaul vs. Okla. State = Same here.

Georgia vs. Notre Dame = Yep'per.

Stanford vs. Murray State = And the song remains the same.

UNLV vs Tulsa = Starting to see a theme here?


Don't know if I'll be back before Friday, so if not, have a Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy.

[NCRadioMan]

# 1 Duke vs. Colgate = Colgate? Hey, everybody eats some cupcakes in November, I realize that. But I took a look at Dook's non-conference schedule, and they aren't playing much of anybody all year! . . . yes, there are a few tests in there, but mostly they are pop-quizzes.



You're kidding right? They will face 5 tournament teams in a row (Marquette, K State, Oregon, Mich St then Butler) before going into the conference schedule which is tough enough, as you know. Who else will do that?

[The Poet]

You're kidding right? They will face 5 tournament teams in a row (Marquette, K State, Oregon, Mich St then Butler) before going into the conference schedule which is tough enough, as you know. Who else will do that?

Yeah, I'm kidding a little, but not as much as you protest. Nobody expected Marquette to give Duke the problems they did, K-State was not scheduled but only a potential opponent out in Kansas City (and are not known for winning big games either), Oregon out of the "meh" Pac-10 ain't exactly unbeatable, Michigan State . . . well, I'll give you that one, though it's beginning to look like they are not yet up to snuff (as we speak Washington's up by one over them), and if anybody expects Butler to be what they were last year they are nuts.

I never said they weren't good, and they will be tested some this season. But you also didn't note that they follow those games you posted with Bradley, Saint Louis, Elon, and N.C. Greensboro . . . not exactly top-flight talent. Be a fan, but be fair, my brother of a different blue color. ;)

[NCRadioMan]

Saint Louis, Elon, and N.C. Greensboro . . . not exactly top-flight talent.

Compared to who? UNCA, CoC, Evansville, Long Beach St., William and Mary, Rutgers or St. Francis? :r

I don't know about you, but I knew Marquette was a very tough team this year and so did most of the talking heads on tv and radio. Everybody and their brother knew they would be facing K State. Yeah, Pac 10 sux but Oregon is still a tourny team and that is a very, very tough place to play on the road. Agreed on Butler but they are also still a tourny team. And Mich St. has always had Duke's number no matter how good or bad they are. That games scares me most as Izzo is the K-Buster.

I'm as fair as anyone. All teams have "cupcakes" as you can't and don't wanna schedule all top 25 teams for the non-con. But when you contrast those cupcakes with tough teams in Duke's schedule, it seems quite balanced to me.

BTW, I watched Harrison Barnes play three games and even though he went off in one of them, he is about as All American as a Zippo knock-off from China. :r

[The Poet]

Compared to who? UNCA, CoC, Evansville, Long Beach St., William and Mary, Rutgers or St. Francis? :r

I don't know about you, but I knew Marquette was a very tough team this year and so did most of the talking heads on tv and radio. Everybody and their brother knew they would be facing K State. Yeah, Pac 10 sux but Oregon is still a tourny team and that is a very, very tough place to play on the road. Agreed on Butler but they are also still a tourny team. And Mich St. has always had Duke's number no matter how good or bad they are. That games scares me most as Izzo is the K-Buster.

I'm as fair as anyone. All teams have "cupcakes" as you can't and don't wanna schedule all top 25 teams for the non-con. But when you contrast those cupcakes with tough teams in Duke's schedule, it seems quite balanced to me.

BTW, I watched Harrison Barnes play three games and even though he went off in one of them, he is about as All American as a Zippo knock-off from China. :r


I could argue that Charleston is a tough team (just ask the Terps), and that Rutgers is improving. But I won't. I could also protest that you left Illinois, Kentucky, and Texas off your list of UNC opponents above. But I won't. And I could argue that, after losing to the Heels for the previous three years, and crapping out of the NCAA Tourney early to boot, the Dookies have been crowing for the last one about how much better they are than the Heels, and thus SHOULD have a tougher schedule than their neighbors over in Chapel Hill. But I won't. Yet I must insist that not all schools have cupcakes in their non-conference schedule, since those self-same cupcakes always have a tough row to hoe, and are working low cotton all fall long. :r

As for Barnes, I myself have said I never buy into pre-season hype, much less the pre-career hype that was dumped on this young man. Until you prove it on the court, both you and everyone else should just hold their peace. There's a big difference between potential and production. However, I will submit that, had he signed with Duke, as most experts thought he would before he shocked them by going to the Heels, you may have a bit more patience and tolerance with his learning-curve. ;)

I'll be back sometime today with the post-holiday update.

[jcruse64]

Well,

that was a nice slap to the back of the head of Calipari & Co :=:.

[The Poet]

Well,

that was a nice slap to the back of the head of Calipari & Co :=:.

Indeed. And to be honest (for a change :D), my only problem with it was that Cal and Calhoun couldn't both lose. :r

For those who don't know what we're talking about, I shall start my update with some Wednesday scores, including:


U. Conn 84 - Kentucky 67 = The Huskies came into this season unranked and with low expectations. That has been dramatically changed in the last few days, what with back-to-back wins over the Spartans and the Wildcats. I would never have predicted this. But in my defense, nobody else did either. And I did predict that UK would not be as good as they were last year. So it's not a "glass half-empty or half-full" issue . . . I just need a different glass. ;) I did not think U. Conn would win either game, and I certainly did not think they would spank UK this badly.

# 2 Michigan State 76 - # 13 Washington 71 = Those aforementioned Spartans bounce back with a nice win against the presumed class of the Pac-10, and had to come back from 15 or so down to do so. Is it early-season growing pains? Are they overrated, or these Huskies "underrated"? Ask me again in a few months.

# 7 Villanova 82 - UCLA 70 = I'm not sure what this means. 'Nova hasn't exactly been a world-beater so far, and the Bruins may be as weak as they were in their last campaign, yet may be improved, and so this win by a dozen either may or may not be a good one. But it is a W, regardless.

# 24 Tennessee 77 - VCU 72 = Again, this one bothers me. VCU has often been a quality mid-major, but this is awfully close against a ranked team. Plus, the Vols only beat Missouri State by 4, so they could be in trouble once the SEC kicks off their wars. It is worth keeping an eye on, for sure.

Cincinnati 54 - Savannah State 41 = It is not rare, but it is uncommon, for two college teams to score under 100 points collectively. I won't diss Savannah for their showing, but the Bearcats should be concerned.

Presbyterian 69 - Princeton 67 = The Tigers are supposed to contend for the Ivy this year, and they may do so. Nobody can fault them for losing to Duke in Cameron, but this one and the L against James Madison does not bode well.

Rhode Island 74 - Drexel 68 = I had me that feeling this could be a good one, and seems like it was. Watch out for these Rams . . . they won't be an easy out.

St. John's 78 - Ball State 73 (OT) = Some contests are a game of 2 halves, but this was one of three. The Johnnies outscored BS 34-22 in the first, ended up tied in regulation by going 29-41 in the second, then won with a 15-10 extra session. As this was part of the so-called Great Alaska Shootout, maybe it was a factor of only one side of the gym being heated, thus making it "cold" at one end.


On Turkey Day, we had a few games that weren't turkeys:


California 57 - # 21 Temple 50 = All the talk last season was about how weak the Pac-10 had become. I never totally bought into that, and their performance in the NCAAs showed they were not the pansies everyone thought. As for the Owls, I questioned their relatively high regard from the get-go. Hey, they ain't bad, don't get me wrong. But aside from this loss, keep in mind they only got by Seton Hall 62-56 earlier, so may not be the giant-killers some of their fans hoped.

Notre Dame 89 - Georgia 83 (2OT) = Here was a total war between the Irish and the Bulldogs, and those in the seats got their money's worth. My only problem is, with two "name" teams going head-to-head, that's really not a lot of points for 50 minutes of play.

Oklahoma State 60 - DePaul 56 = Another good game, and a nice win for the 'Boys from Stillwater.

Murray State 55 - Stanford 52 = And I don't care if the Pac-10's down or not, this win by the Racers over the Tree is a good one.

Boston College 67 = Texas A&M 65 = And here's a good one for a projected mid-pack ACC squad.

UNLV 80 - Tulsa 71 = It's much too soon to know if either of these will do much this year, but both have had success in the past, and they gave us a decent matchup.


Today, the Wisconsin Badgers have already rained on BC's one-day parade by knocking them out of the Old Spice Classic (:rolleyes:) 65-55 with a strong second-half comeback. To follow we have:


# 3 Ohio State vs. Miami OH = Oh oh. Unless you're a Buckeye, don't waste your time, as this Battle of Ohio won't be one.

# 4 Kansas State vs. Texas Southern = Nor will this border war.

# 6 Kansas vs. Ohio U. = And even though OU took out the Hoyas last March, don't look for them to shoot down the Jayhawks.

# 7 Villanova vs. # 24 Tennessee = This one could be a real good fight, though when one considers how iffy both teams have played so far, it may not have the significance one might believe.

# 9 Syracuse vs. Michigan = On paper, the Orange should own the Wolverines. But there's two buts, or perhaps just two cheeks to one butt. First, both team are undefeated so far. Second, neither team has actually played anybody so far. This is the first test for both squads, so is worth watching in that regard at least.

# 10 Purdue vs. Southern Illinois = Here's another feasting on leftover turkey.

# 18 San Diego State vs. San Diego Christian = I wouldn't watch this one if you paid me. Well, maybe if you paid me, but not otherwise.

#21 Temple vs. Georgia = Now here, here's a game I'd watch. At this point, both teams have something to prove, and I expect both to come out focused.

# 23 BYU vs. South Florida = Persuant to our previous discussion regarding cupcake schedules, quiz me this one: Are the Stormin' Mormons ever gonna play somebody?

UCLA vs. VCU = This is one of those game that might tell us if either, or both, of these programs are coming back. Could be a tight one.

Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech = And I'd almost bet you this will be a good one.

California vs. Notre Dame = Here's another good shot at a nice one.

UTEP vs. Georgia Tech = And again.

Richmond vs. Wright State = Ditto.

Santa Clara vs. Arizona = Dit-three.

Tulsa vs. Stanford = Ibid.

Weber State vs. Arizona State = And here, coupled with a handful already mentioned above, could give us a better indication regarding the strength or weakness of the Pac-10.

UAB vs. Arkansas = Another potential very nice game.

St. Mary's vs. Texas Tech = Not only have the Gaels already beaten St. John's, they embarassed Chi. State 121-52 . . . for what that's worth. The Red Raiders may win down in South Padre, but they won't do it in a walk.

UNLV vs. Murray State = A generation back, and this would be a laffer. Today, it could be a squeaker.


That's all I got for now. I migth pop back after I gag down my lunch, but in any case . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

So far today, it's been a good day for the state of Virginia, although not IN the state of Virginia. At the Garden in NYC, VCU knocks off UCLA 89-85 in what was one hell of a game for both teams. Meanwhile, a continent away out in Anaheim, Va. Tech just beat Ok. State 56-51, in a total crapfest. Collectively, the teams went a combined 34-108 from the field, including 5-29 from outside the arc. And you thought you couldn't shoot.

And, at the half, the Buckeyes hold a pitiful halftime 28-16 edge over Ohio U. And no, we are still talking cagers here, not on the gridiron. Ohio State shot about 20% from the field. They are obviously looking forward to moving up to at least #2 in next week's poll, but they are not showing they deserve that very well.

[The Poet]

[QUOTE=The Poet;1074333]Ohio State shot about 20% from the field./QUOTE]

Oops. Correction. I read the box score wrong. It's OU that's shooting .208, while OSU went .458 . . . and STILL led by only a dozen. And as OU's hit the first shot of the second, that's now down to 10 points.

[The Poet]

Well, the Buckeyes have at least stretched out a working margin of about 20 points, but still. Tennessee leads 'Nova by 7 with 6 left in the first. Meanwhile, in the first 18 minutes of action, California has scored a sickening 5 whole points. Lucky for them, Notre Dame's only posted 17 themselves.

[The Poet]

Ohio State's won, 66-45, but they can't be happy even with the 20+ margin. That's just nasty. But it's not as nasty as the California Ormolu Bears. At the half, it's Notre Dame 21, Cal 5. Yes, five. That's five stinkin' points in 20 minutes of play, on .091 shooting. Had the Irish not gone 0-13 from 3, this would be over already.

Oh, and it looks like the Vols will take an OK lead into the break over 'Nova.

[The Poet]

Would you believe it? I just spent an hour typing up my report, and before I quite finished it . . . IT"S GONE!

I'm so disguested. I may be back, and I may just say fark it all.

[The Poet]

OK, I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend another hour redoing my whole long post, so I'll just hit some highlights. Forgive me for my disgust, or my laziness, and feel free to add you own here.

On Friday:


# 9 Syracuse 53 - Michigan 50 = Maybe it was just one of those games. Maybe UM's better than we thought, or the Orange is worse. But this was awfully slow and low.

# 21 Temple 65 - Georgia 58 = A decent enough win for the Owls, but not impressive.

# 23 BYU 77 - South Florida 75 (2 OT) = For some reason, much like Boise State in football, BYU always seems to get a rating they have done little to earn. The Bulls are OK, but they are not the Chicago Bulls.

Georgia Tech 71 - UTEP 61 = The Yellow Jackets are starting to play better than people expected. Maybe their loss to Kennesaw State was a fluke, and they may be fairly good this year.


Today:


# 16 Georgetown 87 - N.C. Asheville 72 = Not all that impressive a victory for the Hoyas.

#19 Illinois 78 - Western Michigan 63 = And no better one for the Illini.

New Hampshire 70 - Brown 66 = There's no way for me to prove it, put I picked this as a tight game in my "lost" post.

Rhode Island vs. Davidson = The Rams hold a ten-point lead with 8 to play. RI's pretty tough, though Davidson's not so much these days.

Louisville 80 - Marshall 66 = I expected a closer game than this. Perhaps the Cardinals are back . . . at least sort of.

Butler vs. Evansville = Butler's only up two with 11 1/2 to play. That's not good.

Vanderbilt vs. App. State = And Vandy's only up 6, with 7 1/2 to go. That's not too good either.

# 1 Duke vs. Oregon = Hmmmm. How should we go here? Duke, or Ducks? Duke, or Ducks. Gimme a break. What if it is in Eugene? This one is already over.

# 9 Syracuse vs. Ga. Tech = I can really see the Ramblin' Wreck giving the Orange some game here.

# 10 Purdue ve. Richmond = And this might be harder than the Boilermakers would like too.

# 6 Kansas vs. Arizona = I don't know if the Wildcats will be any good this year or not, but I do know the Jayhawks haven't played any-damn-body so far, so they may be in for their first test of the season.

# 23 BYU vs. St. Mary's = And I'm gonna go flat out and pick the Gaels to take the Cougars.


St. John's vs. Arizona State = One team's trying to get back where they were, and the other's trying to get where they've never been. Both should show up here. Might be fun.


On Sunday:


# 21 Temple vs. Texas A&M = If the Owls don't start playing better, they could drop this one quite easily.

California vs. Boston College = If Cal can score more than 5 points in the first half, this may be fun.

Siena vs. Princeton = Neither team has played all that well, but both programs are decent. Maybe one will make a turnaround, soon.

# 16 Florida vs. Florida State = The Gators have not been consistent, and could give the Semiholes a shot.

# 25 North Carolina vs. Charleston = Don't let others fool you. Charleston has a good team and coach. They came within a basket of beating the Terps in College Park, and their other loss was to a good Rhode Island team. If the Heels don't come to play, for a change, they can fall to .500 here.


That's all I have the energy for, for now. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Well, let's see if I can update some weekend action without losing both my post and my cool. And, as usual, I'm only noting those scores I found interesting, leaving out the expected blowouts and the "who the hell cares anyway?" ones, yet as always, please add your own :2.


On Saturday:


BYU 74 - St. Mary's 73 = Yeah, I know I picked the Gaels to knock off BYU. Had the Cougars' star Fredette not hit a three with 10 seconds left, they would have too.

Evansville 71 - Butler 68 (OT) = I've been saying from the get-go that Butler ain't the Butler of last year. But even I didn't expect this one.

Weber State 82 - Drake 81 = OK, I know I said I'd leave out the "WTFC?" games, but give these guys some credit for a razor-tight contest with a reasonable high score. This must have been fun to watch.

Syracuse 80 - Georgia Tech 76 = A nice win for the Orange, and a nice showing by the underrated Jackets. If 'Cuse had been as cold with their shooting as they've been in previous games, they would have lost, big. Tech's Brian Oliver had a field-day shooting over that zone, scoring 32 points. Hey, I've been trying to tell Boeheim this for years . . . the zone's not all that effective against a disciplined team with shooters and penetrators.

Kansas 87 - Arizona 79 = Just an OK win for the Jayhawks here, and a damn decent showing by the desert Wildcats. Maybe KU will improve, and perhaps a lot, once Josh Selby finally starts playing in a few weeks, but for now they are not as good as last year's squad by quite a bit.

Nebraska 60 - USC 58 = Neither team may make much noise on the national level this year, but neither one's a total dog either. It was at least a pretty decent game.

N.C. State 77 - Fairleigh Dickinson 67 = Alright, maybe you think I'm not one to talk, but good gracious! The Wolfpack was supposed to jump up several notches this season, what with some top recruits, but this is not a positive sign. OK, it's a W, but for them to beat Fairly Ridiculous by only ten . . . jeez.

Richmond 65 - Purdue 54 = This one does not surprise me nearly as much as it might some. The Spiders have a good program, and the Boilermakers have not played well since Hummel went down last winter, then again this fall. But on the positive side, the 14 points Purdue scored in the first half was 9 better than California did a day earlier.

Texas 62 - Rice 59 = And, if you've been paying attention, you'll recall that I don't have a lot of faith in the Longhorns either. If you need some evidence of why, check that score again. A one-possession victory, over Rice? Please.

South Carolina 87 - Western Kentucky 85 (2 OT) = I love a game that goes extra innings, especially when it involves two decent programs. My only gripe with this is that it's a pretty low score for two OTs.

Xavier 94 - Wofford 90 (3 OT) = Though it's not as low as this for three OTs. And what the hell is wrong with the X-men? Coming into this game they were 4-1, with their only loss being @ ODU, which happens to a lot of teams. And Wofford was 2-4, with their only "quality" win being over George Mason. How could this go 3 OTs? Sheesh.


On Sunday:


Stanford 81 - DePaul 74 (OT) = After losses to Murray State and Tulsa, this is a good win for the Cardinal . . . even if it took them 5 more minutes. Yet that 14-7 run during that time makes a statement, though perhaps one they should have made in regulation.

Florida 55 - Florida State 51 = Judging by the tally, and by the box score, this must have been one ugly game. Neither team shot well, and neither made the big play when needed. Even the Gator who iced it for them, Erik Murphy, said that "Honestly, it was luck. I just turned around and looked and the ball was falling into my hand. I just went up with it." Right place, right time . . . and one more indication that Florida has a ways to go before they earn their high regard. You only win so many that way.

Georgia 61 - Manhattan 58 = And speaking of the SEC . . . what the hell?!!? A one-possession victory by what is supposed to be a quality SEC darkhorse, against a Manhattan team that's not in Kansas? Lord.

North Carolina 74 - Charleston 69 = Laugh if you wish, but I consider this a quality win. Charleston's not an easy out, as they proved, while the Heels did not do what they've done too many times going back to last year, when the game was tight late. Here they manned up, and made plays on both sides of the court for the W. They will need a lot . . . A LOT . . . more of that in the next few weeks, starting tomorrow when they visit Illinois.

Princeton 86 - Siena 77 (OT) = This was one of those games I touted as being important for both these schools. I figured it would be a war, and it was. We'll see if it has turned either one around.

Texas A&M 54 - Temple 51 = And I flat-out TOLD you A&M could take this one, if the Owls kept playing as they've done. See? I'm not nearly as dumb as I look. Hell, I couldn't hardly be that dumb.


There are a handful of games tonight, but most of them are either of the "so what?" variety, or just silly match-ups. Kansas State vs. Emporia State? Baylor vs. Prairie View A&M? C'mon. So I only spot two to keep one's eyes on:


Minnesota vs. Virginia = The Gophers have a better team, but the Cavs have some quality players too. If they can keep the margin under 10, then make a few shots and get a few bounces their way, they have a puncher's chance.

USC vs. TCU = OMG! LOL! WTF? But thing is, noboby's exactly sure who either of these squads will be, so it has the po' to be a nice little game.


There will be a fair number of better games tomorrow, but we'll get to that . . . tomorrow, hopefully. Until then, enjoy.

[The Poet]

Wake Forest vs. Iowa = And the way BOTH of these two teams have been playing, I don't see how either one of them can win this game. I suppose one of them has to, however, so toss a wooden nickel for your pick.

Mississippi vs. Miami = I did not realize Ole Miss had joined the Big Ten too, but so it seems. This could actually be a really good contest here.

Houston vs. LSU = Both schools have storied pasts, both schools have been down lately, and both are trying to make it back. Yet you'd have to give the advantage to the Cougars over the Tigers here, since they seemed to have made more progress. Still, it may be a decent enought game.


That's about it for top-notch action this evening, though some surprises may pop up. So keep your ears on, and enjoy.

[The Poet]

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? NINE TENTHS OF MY POST JUST DISAPPEARED AGAIN! DAMMIT! IF THIS KEEPS UP MUCH LONGER, I'M GONNA FREAKIN' QUIT ALTOGETHER! :mad:


sheesh

[The Poet]

OK, Virginia beat Minnesota. Good for them. Tonight:

Ga. Tech vs. Northwestern

Wake Forest vs. Iowa

Kentucky vs. Boston U.

Syracuse vs. Cornell

Mississippi vs. Miami

U. Conn vs. New Hampshire

Tennessee vs. Middle Tenn. State

Ohio State vs. Florida State

Notre Dame vs. Indiana State

Houston vs. LSU

Missouri vs. Georgetown

Illinois vs. UNC

Washington vs. Long Beach State


In the "lost" section of my post, I not only told you who would win, and why, but I also told you if they will cover the points, the over/under, and which players would hit the first and last baskets. You don't believe me. Well, I'm in no mood to hear it, so :tg

[CRIMPS]

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? NINE TENTHS OF MY POST JUST DISAPPEARED AGAIN! DAMMIT! IF THIS KEEPS UP MUCH LONGER, I'M GONNA FREAKIN' QUIT ALTOGETHER! :mad:


sheesh

Curious, what browser are you using?

[The Poet]

Curious, what browser are you using?

It's just regular Windows IE, though I made Yahoo the homepage to access mail and sports etc more easily. I don't think it's the browser. Either in my haste I'm hitting Control or Alt or something in error, or I have noticed that, at times, if I take too long between post I'm automatically logged off of CA.

I'm thinking of making shorter multiple posts, and to hell with the complaints of "POST WHORE!!" Hey, I've never denied it. :r

[The Poet]

Alright, here's the more interesting scores from last night:

# 2 Ohio State 58 - Florida State 44 = I guess this is an OK win for the Buckeyes, but sheesh! Since I don't believe either team is that dominent on D, I have to think it was a total lack of offensive effectiveness on both sides. The boxscore supports this, as the teams collectively shot 36-107 from the field.

# 7 U. Conn 62 - New Hampshire 55 = For a team who made such a statement last week, and jumped from nobody to Top Ten, this is a pretty poor victory. Was this a fluke, or were their previous great wins?

# 16 Georgetown 111 - # 9 Missouri 102 (OT) = This was the game to watch, as two tough teams found 15 rounds insufficient. The fight, and the outcome, are no surprise to me. The fact that the Hoyas scored so many points, when they are not known for their offense, is a bit of one.

# 20 Illinois 79 - North Carolina 67 = And this is no surprise at all. Even had the game not been in Champaign, the Heels have not shown they can consistently show up for big games for . . . well, over a year now.

# 25 Notre Dame 81 - Indiana State 72 = OK, did Larry Bird show up to play in this one? If not, then how did the Sycamores stick with the Irish like this?

Michigan 69 - Clemson 61 = A decent enough competitive game, and so a decent victory for the Wolverines.

Florida Atlantic 61 - Mississippi State 59 = I keep getting amazed as to how poorly Miss. State is doing, after their nice season last year. But if they keep up such nonsense as this, I'm just gonna write them off entirely.

UTEP 74 - New Mexico State 72 = Two good squads, one good game.

Wake Forest 76 - Iowa 73 = Two poor teams, one good game, meaningless as it may be in the long run.


Now, to attempt to avoid the "lost" problems I have had, I'll be back shortly with tonight's action.

[CRIMPS]

It's just regular Windows IE, though I made Yahoo the homepage to access mail and sports etc more easily. I don't think it's the browser. Either in my haste I'm hitting Control or Alt or something in error, or I have noticed that, at times, if I take too long between post I'm automatically logged off of CA.

I'm thinking of making shorter multiple posts, and to hell with the complaints of "POST WHORE!!" Hey, I've never denied it. :r

Install Chrome (http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en). One thing that you would benefit from, greatly, is the ability to resize the Message window in Chrome. So, for your longer posts, you can view more of the entered message at one time.

You will thank me later ;)

[CRIMPS]

Oh, looking forward to your preview of Duke v. Michigan State. yeah... Im a Duke fan...

[The Poet]

Tonight's schedule promises to give us at least as many tough matchups, including:


# 1 Duke vs. # 6 Michigan State = So far this year, Dook's been playing better than anybody else. The Spartans? Not so much. The Blue Devils will get their comeuppance at some point this season, and if Michigan State shows up, it could even be tonight. However, I'm not going to bet on it . . . though I do suspect Coach K would like his boys challenged a bit, just for the experience.

# 3 Pitt vs. Duquesne = You can skip this one. I know I will.

# 14 Memphis vs. Arkansas State = And this one deserves a pass too.

# 17 San Diego State vs. St. Mary's = Yeah, I know I've already said I won't pick against the Aztecs until they give me some reason. And yeah, I know I picked the Gaels to beat BYU, but they let me down by allowing a late three to edge them. However, this one has the potential to be at least . . . AT LEAST! . . . as good a game as Dook/MSU.

# 18 Florida vs. UCF = On the surface, one might think this is another automatic "pass" game. Me, I'm not so sure. The Gators have only been consistent in their good fortune so far, whereas the "unknown" Orlando Mickeys . . . uh, the Central Florida Knights . . . are 5-0, and with a nice win over a pretty good South Florida team. They won't win, but they may give Billy Donovan more than he'd prefer.

# 19 Texas vs. Lamar = Though many of the things said about the Gators can also be said of the Longhorns, none of the things said about UCF can be said about Lamar. Don't bother with this one.

# 21 BYU vs. Creighton = Now here, here we might just have us a pretty decent game. BYU should start edging out a lead in the second half, but Creighton will at least show up to play.

# 22 Purdue vs. Virginia Tech = And here we should most definitely have us a pretty decent game. The Boilermakers are still trying to find themselves, and the Hokies ain't half-bad.

# 24 UNLV vs. Illinois State = This one might be within 10 at the half, but the Rebels should be Runnin' away with it from there.

VCU vs. South Florida = As stated above, South Florida is no cupcake. Neither is VCU. This one could be a lot of fun.

St. Joseph's vs. Drexel = And neither of these two are as good as the two preceeding, but they are fairly well matched. Could be a real battle until the end.

Richmond vs. ODU = And this one WILL be a real battle until the end, mark my word.

Indiana vs. Boston College = Here too, these are awfully close squads, with emphasis decidedly NOT on the "awful". BC's OK, and the Hoosiers are not totally back, but they are not totally crap either.

N.C. State vs. Wisconsin = And again. Wisconsin's always tough, in more ways than one, while the Wolfpack has added some talent.

Oklahoma vs. Arkansas = Another potential nice matchup, which could go either way.

Maryland vs. Penn State = I have to give the edge to the Terps here. Their 2 losses have been to Pitt and Illinois, whereas Penn State's single one was to the only really quality opponent they have faced . . . and that just a so-so Ole Miss team.


There are my picks for your midweek viewing. Post others if you wish, and as always . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Install Chrome (http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en). One thing that you would benefit from, greatly, is the ability to resize the Message window in Chrome. So, for your longer posts, you can view more of the entered message at one time.

You will thank me later ;)

Thanks for the suggestion, but this is my work computer, and so I'm loathe to install stuff, lest my boss object.

Oh, looking forward to your preview of Duke v. Michigan State. yeah... Im a Duke fan...

As a Tar Heel, I am definitely NOT a Dook fan, but I'm too much of a college hoops fan to be one of those @$$holes who hates a rival just because they are one. If UNC can't get it done, I'd as soon Dook does as anyone . . . and a good deal more than some others.

[CRIMPS]

As a Tar Heel, I am definitely NOT a Dook fan, but I'm too much of a college hoops fan to be one of those @$$holes who hates a rival just because they are one. If UNC can't get it done, I'd as soon Dook does as anyone . . . and a good deal more than some others.

I can respect that. I have no hatred toward UNC, either. I LOVE that rivalry.

[CRIMPS]

By the way... I love Dickie V. But can we all agree its probably time for him to hang it up? The "Diaper Dandies" and the "PTP's (Prime Time playa's)" are getting a little old, BABY!!!

[Parshooter]

go bucks

[The Poet]

By the way... I love Dickie V. But can we all agree its probably time for him to hang it up? The "Diaper Dandies" and the "PTP's (Prime Time playa's)" are getting a little old, BABY!!!

I hear you, but I suspect he'll broadcast until he has an aneurysm on camera and falls face first into the monitor. And if it happens in Cameron, the Crazies will cheer him off the court. :r

go bucks

Yeah, I'd go buck that myself. :D

Update to follow ASAP.

[The Poet]

So here's the notable (to me, anyway) scores from last night:

Duke 84 - Michigan State 79 = A pretty good game, and had the Spartans managed to stick a spear in Irving (who went for 31 on them) they could have won it. But there was no Thermopylaeic stand for them against the Blue Persians. I guess Izzo's at least happy for the good showing, and that K is pleased his boys withstood a challenge.

UCF 57 - Florida 54 = Here was the upset of the night, though I did tell you UCF was pretty decent and would give the Gators as much as they wanted. Well, they actually gave them just a bit more than that, and chalked up what is likely the biggest win in their history.

Boston College 88 - Indiana 76 = A good win for the Eagles over an improving Hoosier squad.

BYU 77 - Creighton 65 = The Cougars scored 6 more than the Bluejays in the first half, and another 6 in the second, so they were at least consistent.

Memphis 78 - Arkansas State 71 (OT) = The Memphis Tigers are winning, but they sure are winning ugly. I guess that beats losing ugly, but it is not a very positive sign for their chances over the long run.

ODU 77 - Richmond 70 = Seems I said this would be a good game, and it would have been even gooder had the Spiders made a few key buckets late. They had the halftime lead . . . if one point is actually a lead, that is.

Arizona 84 - Rice 57 = And why am I citing this one? Firstly, the Desert Wildcats are playing very well, after a few down seasons, and have only lost to the Jayhawks so far. Secondly, this Rice team they spanked has lost three inna row, with their previous one being to Texas . . . by 3 points. Does this mean 'Zona's good? Texas is bad? Rice is bi-polar? Eh, who knows?

South Florida 60 - VCU 59 (OT) = I predicted this one could be lotsa fun. It was so much fun, they even asked for more.

Purdue 58 - Va. Tech 55 (OT) = I also told you we'd have a good game here as well. Make sure you send the vig to the right address, fellas. :D


A quick glance at tonight's schedule didn't much impress me, but I'll comb through it again to see if I can find you a few anyway. Back soon.

[The Poet]

Well, I did manage to find a few games that may be fun, and might actually mean something down the road too. Of course, as always, the best contest could turn out to be between two 2-4 teams going nowhere fast, so keep your own eyes open for those. Otherwise, watch:

# 4 Kansas vs. UCLA = I don't expect the Bruins to salt the Jayhawks' tails, yet I also don't expect they'll not even show up for this one. A 20-point margin is likely by the end, but it could be fairly tight for a time. And hey, you never know . . . everybody gets hot, or gets cold.

# 9 Missouri vs. Oregon = Both of these are coming off losses: Missou's battle royale with Georgetown, and the Ducks' dunking by Dook. Me, I expect the Ducks to take another dip.

# 11 Baylor vs. Arizona State = It's much the same story here, though I have a little less faith in these Bears, and a little more in the Sun Devils. To hop on the horse I rode last year, I consider Herb Sendek to be the most underrated coach in the country. His teams may lose, but they rarely quit.

Charleston vs. Davidson = If you've been paying attention, you know the respect I have for the program at Charleston. Davidson also has some history, but they do not have the players this year. Expect an OK half or so, then a whipping.

Murray State vs. Eastern Kentucky = Here again, two pretty good programs, both of whom need a win badly. They may pull out the knives for this one.


That's about all I saw, but if you spotted any I missed, please let us know. In any case, and as always . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Of course, as always, the best contest could turn out to be between two 2-4 teams going nowhere fast, so keep your own eyes open for those.

Like I said. There were a bunch of those last night, and a few are listed below. I say a few because, let's be honest, who really wants to read about IPFW over Mo. KC or Winthrop over VMI in OT, or Robert Morris by 1 over LIU, or for that matter DePaul by 2 over Northern Illinois, with both of them moving to 2-4? Not me. Eastern Illinois edging Tenn. State, or High Point over Gardner-Webb anybody? But otherwise:

# 4 Kansas 77 - UCLA 76 = Well, I can't exactly say I saw this coming, though I did say anything could happen. Late FTs are all that saved KU's bacon, and it was indeed "fairly tight for a time" . . . said time being up until the horn.

# 9 Missouri 83 - Oregon 80 = One would have thought that, if the Tigers are worthy of their ranking, their marathon loss to the Hoyas would have focused them more than this. Are the Ducks better than I think? Their game against Duke showed no evidence of that, so perhaps Missou's not as good as the "experts" think they are.

Murray State 74 - Eastern Kentucky 72 = As I predicted, they brought out the knives for this, with the Racers getting the edge . . . or would that be giving it?

Valparaiso 68 - Ill. Chicago 66 (OT) = OK, we're not talking true powers here, but they are at least in line so far to play .500 or better this year.


There is not a whole lot of action this evening, yet there are a few games of interest:


# 5 Kansas State vs. Washington State = I'm still not convinced K-State deserves a Top Five rank, or even Top Ten, but they have not played badly. Their only loss, by 14, was to Dook, so you can't fault them for that one. Meanwhile, the Cougars are undefeated at 5-0. However, their only two "quality" wins are over Portland and Fresno State, so this will be their first test . . . nearly a month into the season. This one could get ugly for them.

# 7 U. Conn vs. UMBC = And this one will get ugly, early and often.

# 12 Villanova vs. St. Joseph's = A Big Five battle can always have potential, as these schools have been playing each other since Hector was a pup. But if 'Nova does not absolutely pluck the Hawks, I'd be shocked, and Jay Wright will be pi$$ed.

UAB vs. Georgia = This one could be quite fun, actually. I'd pick UAB by 10 or so, but the Bulldogs are a bit better than they've played so far, and may make it a game.


Saturday will have a ton of games, and some of them tip off early, so let me give you those:


# 10 Kentucky vs. UNC = My Heels have not shown they can consistently play with the big boys, and tend to go on those same scoring droughts that doomed them last year. If they can't correct this, people will be leaving the Dean Dome early tomorrow afternoon.

# 16 Georgetown vs. Utah State = I don't think the Aggies can hang with the Hoyas for 40 minutes, so you can pencil this one in right now.

Detroit vs. Wright State = This one could be as tight as new drawers.

VCU vs. William & Mary = And this one could be too, at least for a half or so.


I'll give you more Saturday action, plus Sunday game, on the morrow. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

I seem to be having tons of internet problems today. Hopefully it will clear up enough for me to do my posts, but if not, please understand. You've been there too, I presume.

[The Poet]

OK, lemme give this a shot here, though it's tough to type with fingers crossed. I only found a few scores from last night worth noting:


# 5 Kansas State 63 - Washington State 58 = Yeah, it's a win for these particular Wildcats, but not a dominant one for sure. I felt this could get ugly for the Pac-10 Cougars, as they had faced little opposition so far, yet it almost got ugly for K-State instead.

# 12 Villanova 71 - St. Joseph's 60 = And this was not much better for the Philly Wildcats. This loss put the Hawks under .500 at 3-4, and two of those losses were by more points than this one of eleven . . . to Western Kentucky and Drexel, for cryin' out loud. I know Jay Wright will take the W, but I can't believe he's all that happy about it.

Georgia 66 - UAB 64 = Well, my pick was off, as I went with UAB here, but I did feel it could be a pretty good game. Turns out, it was, and is a good win badly needed by the Bulldogs.


Today's action has already begun, with Georgetown breaking open a close game in the second half to take a comfortable lead over Utah State, while Wright State/Detroit, VCU/Wm.&Mary, and UK/UNC all being razor tight (f'instance, my Heel lead by 1 with 4+ left in the first). While I work on my preview update, these games may resolve themselves better, so I'll keep you advised. Later, brohs.

[The Poet]

The balance of Saturday action gives us one holy hell $#!+load of potential good matchups, many between so-so teams that both will fight for the victory, and thus may give us great games. But I'd be at it all day if I posted them all, so I will limit myself to only a few too many, as opposed to one damned overkill:


# 1 Duke vs. Butler = This rematch of last year's championship game won't be that, at all. I'd be surprised if the Blue Devils win by less than 20.

# 3 Pitt vs. Rider = Please. This one's already over.

# 6 Michigan State vs. Bowling Green = So is this one, though it could be argued that the Spartans deserve a break about now.

# 8 Syracuse vs. N.C. State = The Wolfpack has not shown much improvement over last year, and although I'm not convinced the Orange is a Top Ten team I don't think they will have a big problem here . . . if they show up, anyway.

# 14 Memphis vs. Western Kentucky = Now this might be a better game. So far, Memphis has won, but not convincingly over better opponents. WKy might just give them as much as they can handle.

# 15 Minnesota vs. Cornell = Don't even bother here. Of their 5 losses, Cornell's been spanked by both Seton Hall and Syracuse, so expect their Big Red bottoms to take more punishment today.

# 17 San Diego State vs. Wichita State = Now here's another one that could be fun, at least for a half, or a half and a half.

# 20 Illinois vs. Gonzaga = And here too. The 'Zags need a big win in the worst way, and Mark Few will have them ready for this one.

# 21 BYU vs. Hawaii = Although this may not be a total mauling, I'd expect the Cougars to prevail with some ease.

# 22 Purdue vs. Alabama = The Boilermakers have looked to me like a team looking to collapse. They may not do so against a "meh" 'Bama team, but don't expect a hammering either.

# 23 Washington vs. Texas Tech = On the one hand, the Huskies have only lost to Kentucky and Michigan State, so they have that going for them. On the other, their "quality" wins are over the likes of Virginia and Long Beach State. Yet, on the third hand, the Red Raiders' losses to St. Mary's and South Florida are their only "quality losses", if you get my meaning, and aside from those two games they have played absolutely nobody. Hey, the guys from Lubbock could surprise me, but I wouldn't bet the ranch.

# 24 UNLV vs. Nevada = The Rebels are off and Runnin', at least for now, while this Wolf Pack from the desert has played much worse than the one from Tobacco Road. Although they have played next to nobody, they've only managed to win once so far. They will not double down today.


That's it for the "ranked" squads, and I'll be back soon with some other action, and some early scores.

[The Poet]

Well, I've been a bit busy to get to my promised postings, but I have to put this one up now:


UNC 75 - Kentucky 73 = Whooo Hooooo!


Back after I catch my breath, and eat a bite or two.

[The Poet]

OK, I've calmed down a bit, so let's finish this up. First, to expand on early finals:

(As reported) North Carolina 75 - # 10 Kentucky 73 = A close game throughout, with the Heels showing some signs they haven't for a long time. Despite falling behind by a few possessions in both halves, they did not crumble, they kept the game close, and they edged out several leads . . . including the last one. Shoot, there were 5 lead changes in the final three minutes. Tyler Zeller was the key for the Tar Heels, scoring 27 points and hitting all 6 of his FTs in the final 90 seconds to keep Carolina up. This win may not have turned UNC around for good, but at least these guys now know they can do it in the clutch.

# 16 Georgetown 65 - Utah State 51 = A decent enough win, I guess, for the Hoyas, though not one to brag about.

Detroit 78 - Wright State 69 = This game was closer than the final, and was about what I thought it would be.

VCU 59 - William & Mary 55 = Same here.

Michigan 65 - Harvard 62 = And maybe this narrow margin should not surprise me, as the Crimson were decent last year while the Wolverines have not been great of late. Still, it does.

Oklahoma State 92 - LaSalle 87 (2 OT) = And though I cannot prove it, this was one of those games I had planned to tell you would be a close one to watch . . . but I got distracted.


So let me tell you some other games I think you keep an eye on today:

California vs. Iowa State = Neither is a world-beater, but neither is total crap either.

Belmont vs. Vanderbilt = The Battle of Nashville could easily draw blood.

West Virginia vs. Miami = Here too, two well-matched teams.

Rhode Island vs. Providence = I give the Rams the edge, but any in-state rivalry can bite you.

Boston College vs. U. Mass = What I just said.

Murray State vs. Morehead State = Two more wanna-be's going head-to-head.

Utah vs. Bradley = And these two may not quite be "wanna-be's", but they are fairly even.

Illinois State vs. Montana State = I dunno, there's just something about this one . . . don't ask me what.

Oregon State vs. Colorado = Yeah, here too.


I'm gonna go look see if any good stuff happens Sunday. Back soon.

[The Poet]

Well, those 'net problems came back to bite me, so I never got back with the Sunday games. Let me put on the run-and-jump D, and try to catch up a little.

In the balance of Saturday games:

# 1 Duke 82 - Butler 70 = It was closer than the 20 I predicted, though not by much. Butler hung tight for 30 minutes, but the Blue Devils were just too much in the end.

# 8 Syracuse 65 - N. C. State 59 = You can I suppose look at this two ways . . . either a nice showing by a young (and improving?) Wolfpack, or another win by the Orange that was too damn close for comfort.

# 15 Minnesota 71 - Cornell 66 = Speaking of being too damn close . . . WTF? The Golden Gophers should have licked all the Big Red off Cornell's candy.

California 76 - Iowa State 73 = This gives Cal 3 pretty decent wins, counting Temple and New Mexico. Maybe the Golden Bears are more real than the Gophers. Oh, wait a second . . . they are the ones who only scored 5 points in a half, right? Nevermind.

Miami 79 - West Virginia 76 = And a decent win for the Hurricanes, too.

Boston College 76 - U. Mass 71 = And not a bad one for the Eagles.

Providence 87 - Rhode Island 74 = My Rams let me down in this one, big time. Yeah, I know the Friars had only lost to LaSalle coming into this one, but they really hadn't played anybody of note aside from them. Now, they have, and they won. Perhaps they'll again be something besides an afterthought in the Big Mouth Conference.


Here are the scores from Sunday I found interesting:


USC 73 - # 19 Texas 56 = A loss by the Longhorns does not much shock me. I've said for years Rick Barnes tends to do less with more talent than any other coach I know. But normally they don't collapse this badly until later in the season. A nearly 20-point loss to the Trojans, who've lost to Rider, Bradley, Nebraska, and TCU? Please.

Richmond 67 - Arizona State 61 = As with much of the Pac-10, nobody's sure exactly what the are or what they have. Regardless, this is a good win for the Spiders.

Temple 64 - Maryland 61 = And the Owls needed this one over the Terps also, as they try to right their ship.

South Carolina 64 - Clemson 60 = In case you didn't know it, these two schools don't much like each other. Though neither is likely to be atop their respective conferences, they both remember when they were in the same one, and they always fight hard until the end. This game was no exception.

Virginia 57 - Virginia Tech 54 = About the opposite could be said about this game, in nearly all particulars. Still, it was a very good win for a Cavalier team that hasn't done a whole heck of a lot for too long a time now.


There are not a lot of games this evening, and I only found two of note. Well, one, actually:


# 5 Kansas State vs. Alcorn State = This isn't it. If the 0-6 Braves can stick with the Manhattan Wildcats for more than ten minutes, I'll be stunned.

# 21 Washington vs. Portland = But this one could be a lot . . . a lot! . . . closer. The Huskies may be the class of the Pac-10 (or may not, as it's too soon to tell, or even tell if the P-10 even has any class), but they've proven little so far. Meanwhile, the Pilots are 7-2, losing only to Kentucky and Washington State. However, to be fair, they haven't played much of a schedule either. The Huskies should win by three possessions or so.


That's it for now. Back tomorrow, I hope. If I missed any scores or news you found important, feel free to add those, and I will likely at least comment. Until later then. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

As it turned out, neither of those games above were worth watching, save except for their fans. In fact, only one score jumped out at me:

Houston 64 - Nevada 61 = The Cougars may not be "Guy Lewis" back, but they are making some steps in the right direction. And I thought this was a decent win for them . . . until I noticed that this was Nevada's 7th loss in a row. Well, actually more, if you go back to last season. :D


There are not a lot of games tonight, but it does promise to give us some better ones. For instance:


# 4 Kansas vs. # 13 Memphis = Both teams are undefeated, so we can feel fairly secure in the knowledge that this will end tonight. The Jayhawks have been playing well, but have not been world-beaters. Meanwhile, the Tigers have shown the inconsistency of youth, of their players and their coach. I'd go with KU, but UM has a shot of making it close.

# 7 Michigan State vs. # 8 Syracuse = The Spartans have lost twice, to U. Conn and Duke, yet retain a higher ranking than the undefeated Orange . . . who haven't played much of anybody yet. Northern Iowa? Michigan? Georgia Tech and N.C. State? And some of those final scores have been mighty tight. Shoot, they only beat Wm.&Mary by 3! Go with MSU here . . . that zone won't stop their shooters.

# 19 Purdue vs. Valparaiso = And I'm even a little tempted to go with Valpo here. Purdue has struggled offensively all season . . . well, actually since they lost Robbie Hummel last spring . . . and they've now lost key reserve John Hart. Also, D.J. Byrd is questionable for tonight too. I'm not going to call for the upset, but if it happens don't be all that shocked.

James Madison vs. Marshall = Here's just two damn decent teams, going toe-to-toe.

Georgia vs. Georgia Tech = And both of these have started showing signs of improvement also. Plus, they don't much like each other.

ODU vs. East Carolina = Here is another one of those that has the potential to become a real barn-burner.

Long Beach State vs. Utah State = Pretty much the same game here, transported 1500 miles west . . . or however far Logan UT is from Greenville NC.

That's all I gots. Hey, it's better than last night, and maybe as good as tomorrow. That remains to be seen. Until then, then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

My computer problems seem to be back, so the following posts may be briefer than normal. Yeah, I can hear you now . . . "Thank God!"

Last night, some of the teams in my picks did not show up to play. It happens. Here are what I consider the the more meaningful scores:


Kansas 81 - Memphis 68 = I'm not surprised at the Jayhawk victory, and the margin seems about right too. I am a bit surprised that Memphis is still getting all their respect, when they haven't played well enough to deserve it.

Syracuse 72 - Michigan State 58 = But here is one that shocks me. Yeah, not only did I pick the Spartans, but they couldn't even stay close in this one. So maybe MSU is being overrated too. Regardless, a good win for the Orange.

Georgia 73 - Georgia Tech 72 = And a good win for the Bulldogs too. As for the Jackets, nobody can figure them out. They were edged here, and earlier by the aforementioned Syracuse Orange, yet were spanked by Kennesaw State and Northwestern. Don't ask me . . . I've no clue.

Marshall 67 - James Madison 63 = So, at least a few of my game picks turned out to be decent, anyway.

Belmont 88 - Middle Tennessee State 87 (2OT) = I looked at this one yesterday, and considered posting it, but for some reason it did not make my cut. Mea culpa. This was the one game to watch, if you could only watch the one.


Tonight's lineup is pretty packed:


# 1 Duke vs. Bradley = The Braves have lost 4 in a row, and that will be 5 after tonight. But Dook has lost star freshman guard Kyrie Irving for an indefinite period to a toe injury. That won't hurt them tonight, but with the ACC starting soon, it could.

# 3 Pitt vs. Delaware State = This one is also already over, before it tips off.

# 6 U. Conn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson = Make that three not to watch.

# 12 Villanova vs. Penn = This might be a tad better, but not much.

# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.

# 15 Missouri vs. Vanderbilt = Here too we could have a good game. Missou's not been dominant, and Vandy's played well on occasion.

# 16 Illinois vs. Oakland = Oakland is not total crap, winning 4 in a row, but they have lost to every halfway decent team they've played. Tonight begins a losing streak for them, since they follow this game with Michigan State and Tennessee.

# 17 Kentucky vs. # 23 Notre Dame = Like the Spartan/Orange game last night, this pits a higher ranked team with two losses against a lower ranked one with zero. So don't ask me to make a fool of myself again. I'm just hoping it's a good one.

# 18 BYU vs. Vermont = The Cougars have dodged bullets from Utah State, South Florida, and St. Mary's to remain undefeated. The Catamounts have only lost to U. Conn. This just might be another slug fired at BYU's head, believe it or not.

# 20 UNLV vs. Boise State = This might be close for a while, but I'd expect the Rebels to Run away during the second half.

# 22 Minnesota vs. St. Joseph's = And this should be about the same story here.

# 24 Louisville vs. San Francisco = Pairing city against city, it's no contest. Pairing team against team, it's also no contest, albeit flop-flipped.

Providence vs. Boston College = The Friars showed me something with the way they handled Rhode Island. The Eagles have shown a few good signs too. This one could be fun.

Arkansas vs. Seton Hall = So could this one, if the SH Pirates show up to play. As for the 'Backs, good or bad, they always show up.

UNC vs. Evansville = After two disappointing years, losing 30 games to injury during that time, Tyler Zeller has started to show signs of being a quality big man. But it's not in the post the Heels have been hurting; rather, it is guard play and outside shooting. If that is even halfway decent, this will be a scrimmage. If not, the Heels may get another scare . . . at least.

TCU vs. Texas Tech = This one could be close, from the tipoff to the horn.

Gonzaga vs. Washington State = Both of these teams have some talent, and they both need this victory. Depending on who comes to play, and how they succeed at it, one will get it. I'm leaning towards the 'Zags, but they've already let me down a Few times this year.


That's about it for me. Toss in your :2 , if you choose. Until later then. Enjoy.

[BryanB]

# 1 Duke vs. Bradley = The Braves have lost 4 in a row, and that will be 5 after tonight. But Dook has lost star freshman guard Kyrie Irving for an indefinite period to a toe injury. That won't hurt them tonight, but with the ACC starting soon, it could.



Looks like Mr. Dawkins decided to step up. Irving will be missed but we can manage the next month or so without him. Hopefully the injury is being played up alittle.

Duke - 83
Bradley - 48

Helping you out alittle bit Thomas.

[The Poet]

Looks like Mr. Dawkins decided to step up. Irving will be missed but we can manage the next month or so without him. Hopefully the injury is being played up alittle.

Duke - 83
Bradley - 48

Helping you out alittle bit Thomas.

Why, thank you! As for Irving being out a while, I agree your boys should be OK without him for now. I can feel for him, and can even muster a tiny bit of sympathy for the team too, but as for Dook fans . . . well, many of them were the same ones who scoffed back in '09 when Ty Lawson was fighting through the same sort of injury. "Awww, poor baby! Him cain't play, him gots a sore piggy!" It's karma, baby . . . suck it up.

Hopefully, my regular update to follow ASAP.

[SD Beerman]

# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.


SDSU looking good....:xxx:xxx:xxx

[The Poet]

# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.


SDSU looking good....:xxx:xxx:xxx

So far, so good. But even though the final of 77-57 seems a spanking, note that the Aztecs led by only 2 at the half. Then the Cal Teddys went on another scoring drought, albeit not as bad as their 1/4-point/minutes pace earlier in the season.

Other scores of interest, to me anyway:


# 15 Missouri 85 - Vanderbilt 82 (OT) = Well, I did manage to call this one as close. You'd really be hard-pressed to get one closer.

# 17 Kentucky 72 - # 23 Notre Dame 58 = A good bounceback win for the Wildcats, and a good reality check for the Irish. But yet again, this one was tied 40-all at the break. Then, only one team came out of the locker room.

# 20 UNLV 75 - Boise State 72 = And this one was bass-ackwards from what I expected. The Rebels Ran up a nice lead early, then BS stormed back to make it a real game.

# 22 Minnesota 83 - St. Joseph's 73 = I guess this is an OK win for the Gophers, but St. Joe's should really not have been this close.

Boston College 88 - Providence 86 = Well, I had a feeling this one could be fun. It does not always work out that way, but here it totally did.

TCU 81 - Texas Tech 77 = Here too. I expected a tight one, and it was.

UNC 76 - Evansville 49 = OK, I normally don't post blowouts. And no, I'm not doing so because it is my Heels, or because I think it is that good a win. But there was some question earlier as to why Evansville was another cupcake on the schedule for UNC. Seems Roy was just following a tradition started by Coach Smith, that of scheduling a game close to every player's home at some time during his career, so that his family and friends can watch him play. This one was about 60 miles from Tyler Zeller's home. So there :tg.


There is damn little up this evening, so you'll have to be content with:


# 2 Ohio State vs. IUPUI = Alright, so maybe not with this whipping.

# 9 Georgetown vs. Temple = But this one should be a lot more fun.

Florida vs. Kent State = On paper, the Gators should rule. But they have not played well enough to look past Kent State, lest they stub their toes.

Butler vs. Xavier = Here we have two class mid-major teams, neither of which have been especially good so far. Both need a victory, badly, so I'd expect both to be ready to play.


That's it. I know it's not much, but try your best to . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

The latest news out of Durham reports Coach K as saying Kyrie Irving's toe injury is much more serious than earlier believed, and though he will be re-evaluated in a week to 10 days, the possibility does exist that he may be out for the entire season.

If this is true, and it is also true that Irving intends to be a "one-and-done" player, then his career at Duke is over. We shall see.

[BigAsh]

Hoot Hoot!.....Love dem Owls over G-Town!....and Cograts to Coach Fran Dunphy on win # 400!!

[The Poet]

Hoot Hoot!.....Love dem Owls over G-Town!....and Cograts to Coach Fran Dunphy on win # 400!!

Yes indeed, that is a quality win for Temple, and they needed one badly. They have not been playing up to their expectations . . . yet neither have the Hoyas, who themselves already dodged a few bullets. Congrats to Fran on # 400. Only 400 or so more, and he'll have something to brag about. :D

For those who are clueless, we're talking about:


Temple 68 - Georgetown 65 = As we've said, a good win for the Owls.


Other scores were:


# 2 Ohio State 75 - IUPUI 64 = Not so good a win for the Buckeyes, as this 11-point margin should really have been doubled.

Florida 65 - Kent State 52 = A slightly better one for the Gators here, as these two were somewhat a closer matchup.

Xavier 51 - Butler 49 = I had a feeling this would be tight, and it certainly was. A pretty good win for the X-men, and another indication that Butler's not going to have a miracle run like last year. But the shooting was absolute crap, on both sides, with the two combining for a lousy 32-101 from the field.

LaSalle 84 - Boston U. 81 = You know, I looked at this game yesterday, and thought about posting it as one with potential. But I was in a rush, and didn't. Mea culpa again. This game may have been the second-best one last night, after the Owl/Hoya one.


There is next to nothing tonight, and we are left with only:


Utah vs. Michigan = Neither team is total garbage, but neither one seems to be going much on anywhere this year either. Yet it could be close enough to provide some entertainment.

Western Carolina vs. Campbell = Smaller schools here, with smaller reps, but about the same story.

Iowa vs. Iowa State = Anytime you have a matchup between state rivals like this one, the possibility for some good action exists.


There will be, as expected, many many more choices on Saturday. I'll get a jump on it now by giving you some with an early tip:


# 1 Duke vs. Saint Louis = I would not gamble that the loss of Irving will hurt the Blue Devils here, as their bench is deep enough to cover that. Hell, their bench might be good enough to beat the Billikens themselves.

# 7 Michigan State vs. Oakland = The Spartans get a break, and will punish the Golden Grizzlies for the Orange crushing they got on Tuesday.

# 20 UNLV vs. # 24 Louisville = Both of these teams have played better than people expected. Neither of these teams have exactly proven they are totally for real. They are good, but Top 25 good? I dunno. Either because of or despite this, here's a very interesting contest.

Auburn vs. Rutgers = And neither of these teams have done a heck of a lot. Auburn's best win was an edging by 2 of Middle Tenn. State, while Rutgers was double-digits over Miami. Though I live in Joisey, I am not their fan, yet I think the Scarlet Knights should prevail. Besides, after the Tigers fired my guy Jeff Lebo, I wouldn't mind if they never won another game. :tg


That's it for now. Back tomorrow afternoon with more. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

I've a bunch of work to do here, so lemme get to it. Last night:


Michigan 75 - Utah 64 = UM improves to a relatively gaudy 7-2 record with this victory, which may lead some to feel the Wolverines are back. Well, maybe so, but it remains to be seen. Aside from this one, the only "quality" wins they have are against Gardner-Webb, Clemson, and Harvard. That's not exactly Murderer's Row. Still, this is a decent W.

Iowa State 75 - Iowa 72 = As I said, an in-state rivalry can give you a good show. This one was.

Santa Clara 67 - San Jose State 63 = And maybe this one should have made my cut in yesterday's preview, as it was also a damn fine contest.


Were I to post all the games with potential to be good today, I'd be here until tomorrow. But as many pit .500 teams against each other (which does not mean these squads aren't good, as a lot are mid-majors or lower who have been beaten like drums by the Big Boys, so we have a false idea of who they truly are), I've tossed out a ton of them. Still, I'm left with a ton more. At the moment, 3 of the 4 early games are really tight, the exception being that Dook is trying to triple-up on St. Louis. To follow today, we have:


# 3 Pitt vs. # 11 Tennessee = Although I think the Panthers are better than the Vols, I don't think they are as good as a # 3 should be. Then again, I haven't much faith in UT either. I'd expect a pretty good one here, with Pitt taking it by maybe 3 possessions.

# 4 Kansas vs. Colorado State = But this one won't be nearly as good, nor as close.

# 5 K-State vs. Loyola Chicago = And this one has already ended, though it has yet to start.

# 8 Syracuse vs. Colgate = Please. You gotta ask?

# 14 San Diego State vs. San Diego = Apparently, the Aztecs have a pretty good team. Obviously, they are NOT the 14th best in the country. Yet I looked at their remaining schedule, and they do have a shot at remaining undefeated for the entire regular season. However: (A), This is mainly due to softness in the schedule, as the best opponents remaining are BYU and UNLV. (B) That undefeated streak, if it holds, will end come March.

# 15 Missouri vs. Presbyterian = And here's another cupcake turning buns up for the frosting of a paycheck. Yet they will give Missou a better game than some others above.

# 17 Kentucky vs. Indiana = The Hoosier faithful have a glimmer of hope that their team is finally coming back. I'm not so sure, since their record is a soft 7-1, with no really good wins. But if they can at least hang with the Wildcats and make this a contest, they can show me something. I'm very interested to see what happens here.

# 18 BYU vs. Arizona = And this is pretty much the exact same situation here. The desert Wildcats have only lost to Kansas, while the only "nice" wins the Cougars can boast are to Utah State and St. Mary's . . . which, as I said, are "nice", but not good. This game could tell us a lot about both teams.

# 19 Purdue vs. North Florida = But the only thing this one will tell us is if the Boilermakers can actually score enough to make it a laffer.

# 21 Washington vs. Texas A&M = This is more like it, and back to the same test of both squads which can give us a tight contest. The Aggies have not played a tough schedule, and lost to BC, but they do have a win over Temple. Meanwhile, though you can't fault the Huskies for losses to UK and MSU, that does leave their "quality" victories being UVA, Texas Tech, and Portland. Here's a test for both.

# 22 Minnesota vs. Eastern Kentucky = Maybe not exactly a "cupcake" game here, but not exactly a challenge either.

# 23 Notre Dame vs. Gonzaga = The Irish have played better than people thought they would, and the 'Zags have played worse, by a lot. They need the victory much more, so I would expect them to show up. That may not be enough, but the potential for a very nice game does exist.

# 25 Texas vs. Texas State = I think maybe Barnes & Co. can pull this one off.

TCU vs. Nebraska = And though these are not contenders for the crown, they should match up well and give a good show.

Wisconsin vs. Marquette = Same here. Both teams have shown positive signs.

Rhode Island vs. Quinnipiac = Which of these things is not like the other? Which of these things do not belong? Hey, I'm really just interested in seeing if you're paying attention . . . and if the Rams can stomp decent, albeit lesser, competition.

Rider vs. Drexel = Here, I'm not so much kidding. This one could go down to the wire.

Dayton vs. ODU = Here too, we should have us one hell of a game.

Cleveland State vs. Sam Houston State = I'm posting this one to give some props to the Vikings, who are off to an 11-0 start. And they actually do have some "eh" wins too, against Iona, Kent State, and Robert Morris f'instance. However, the Bearkats have played a tougher schedule, and lost only to Texas and Houston . . . the last one, by only 4 points. So just maybe the pillaging by the Vikes ends today.

VCU vs. Richmond = As with a few others above, this will be a good 'un.

UNC vs. Long Beach State = We don't yet know if the Heels are any damn good, despite their win over Kentucky. We do know the LBS 49ers are not very good, but they have played a fairly tough schedule, and 2 of their 5 losses are to ranked teams. Thus they won't be scared, so UNC better show up.


I could go on for another hour, but you wouldn't read them all anyway. Post your own picks, if you desire. Me, I'm gonna check for early results, plus Sunday's action. Back soon.

[The Poet]

Duke has spanked Saint Louis, surprise surprise, by a measly 84-47 bulge. Meanwhile, both Louisville and Rutgers seem to have safe margins over UNLV and Auburn respt., but Michigan's getting all it can handle from Oakland. And Minnesota was only up 3 over East. Ky. at the break, but scored the first 7 in the second to gain a working lead.

Now, to Sunday games:


# 2 Ohio State vs. Western Carolina = This should be over by the half.

# 9 Georgetown vs. App. State = And, following their loss to Temple, the Hoyas should rule here too. All in all, it won't be a good Sunday in the Smokies.

# 12 Villanova vs. LaSalle = But here, here we have us a game.

# 16 Illinois vs. Northern Colorado = And here, here we don't. Or we shouldn't anyway.

Penn State vs. Virginia Tech = This could go down to who executes in the final three minutes.

Princeton vs. Tulsa = Yeah, same here.

Boston College vs. Maryland = Though neither of these teams are likely to challenge Dook for the ACC, neither is likely to challenge Wake and UVA for the cellar. Should be a nice one.

Clemson vs. Florida State = Ditto, in all regards.

South Florida vs. Kent State = Another potential close matchup.


That's all I got. I'll likely be back with more early scores in a bit, but if not . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Some other games gone final this afternoon:

Louisville 77 - UNLV 69 = The Cardinals started edging out a lead in the 2nd, and come away with a pretty good win here.

Minnesota 71 - Eastern Kentucky 58 = About what I expected, with the Gophers breaking open a close one in the 2nd.

Rutgers 63 - Auburn 54 = And about what I hoped for. No, I don't really care if RU wins or not, but I want Auburn to get all the bad karma it has earned.

Michigan State 77 - Oakland 76 = ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?!!? What is the wide wild world of holy hell is wrong with the Spartans? OK, it's a W, but you couldn't ask for much worse a W. Alright, I'll grant you Oakland has played some tough opponents, losing to the likes of WVU, Purdue, Wright State, and Illinois, so are not afraid of the Big Boys. But please! MSU began the season at #2 behind Dook, and though they have not played like #2, they have not played like #2 . . . if you get my drift. Or maybe they have. I'm confused now, and so are the Spartans.

[The Poet]

Well, there ain't jack$#!+ on for action tonight, at least with any meaning. OK, San Diego State plays Cal Poly, but that reminds me more of an episode of Numb3rs than it suggests a basketball game. I'm presuming this paucity is mainly due to finals. So let me just update some of the weekend results.

In the balance of Saturday's games:

Tennessee 83 - Pittsburgh 76 = I had the "three possessions" right in my prediction, but I put my dollar on the wrong horse's nose. In my defense, I did say I had little faith in Pitt.

Kansas State 68 - Loyola Chicago 60 = And I have said from the get-go I have little faith in K-State either. They should have spanked LC like a rented mule. This win was not as "bad" as Michigan States over Oakland, but it is pretty stinky.

Texas A&M 63 - Washington 62 = Meanwhile, this is a good win for the Aggies, over a squad that has been overranked for about 2 years now.

Notre Dame 83 - Gonzaga 79 = Whereas, in past years, this would have been a good win for the Irish. However, when one considers that the Bulldogs are now 4-5, it is not the deal it used to be. Yet it is fair-to-middlin' anyway, and much better than a loss.

Drexel 71 - Rider 67 (OT) = Here again, my prediction was wrong. I said this game could go down to the wire. Well, it didn't. It went beyond the wire.

Wisconsin 69 - Marquette 64 = I was hoping for a good show here, and we got one.

ODU 74 - Dayton 71 = About the "hell of a game" I expected.

Quinnipiac 73 - Rhode Island 66 = This one, I did not expect. Hey, I knew QU was decent, but I thought the Rams were much better. Guess I've gotta give up on them for a while, until they show me something otherwise.

UNC 96 - Long Beach State 91 = Yeah, not a great win for the Heels, but better that some others on Saturday. At least they found a bit of offense. Even Barnes did better, with 19 pts. and 10 boards. Now Roy has to work them some on D . . . to allow the 49ers to score 57 in the 2nd half, and eat up most of a big lead, that ain't good.


In Sunday's:


Villanova 84 - LaSalle 81 = I knew this one would be pretty good. LaSalle been pretty decent, and 'Nova's not been as advertised. Besides, when the Big Five bang heads, it echoes.

Southern Miss. 80 - California 78 = Another indication that the Pac-10 is not yet back up to snuff.

Drake 72 - Boise State 69 = Not a very important game, but an exciting one nonetheless.

San Jose State 70 - Eastern Washington 69 = Ditto.

West Virginia 64 - Duquesne 61 = Ditto, albeit slightly more important.

Florida State 75 - Clemson 69 = Ditto, in all regards. Wait a second . . . is there an echo in here?

Boston College 79 - Maryland 75 = Just what I said it would be: i.e., somebody would win a close one.

Princeton 82 - Tulsa 78 (2OT) = Again, I was all wet here. I said (well, sorta) that this could go down to who executes in the last 3 minutes. Yet in the end, it came down to who executed in the second extra 5 minutes.


I would end by saying you should "enjoy", but with the garbage on tonight I dasn't tell you how. Yet if you keep your ears on, you might find something going on somewhere . . . like LIU/Northwestern, or LSU/Coastal Carolina. Who knows? So, later then.

[The Poet]

You can't say I didn't warn you to keep your ears on. By which I mean, last night:

Coastal Carolina 78 - LSU 69 (OT) = Yeah, I had me a feeling about this one, though I really don't know why.

Siena 72 - Florida Atlantic 69 = And I even took a quick look at this one, but as the Saints of Siena are NOT having their typical good year (so far), I skipped on it.

San Diego State 51 - Cal Poly 45 = As I understand, a few of the Aztec top scorers were either out sick or playing ill. Well, the whole team followed suit. Shoot, they only scored 16 in the first half! Lucky for them, CP only scored 15. This is one of those "bad" wins, for sure.


Again, tonight, there's some slim pickin's:


# 7 Tennessee vs. Oakland = At first glance, you'd think the Vols would romp. They may just do that. But at first glance you'd have thought that Michigan State would have romped over Oakland too, yet they edged them by a single point. I'm interested to see what happens here, if only for comparison reasons.

# 20 Louisville vs. Drexel = This could be a pretty decent game. The Dragons have not played a very tough schedule, yet their 6-1 record shows they can play at least a little bit. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have been playing above their expectations. I wouldn't call for the upset, but this may be closer than Pitino wants.

Tulane vs. New Orleans = The Battle of Nawlins, with or without Colonel Jackson, could also be fairly close. Neither team is great, but neither one stinks. That's just the bayou you smellin', frere.

Santa Clara vs. Pacific = Another potential good matchup, this one on the Left instead of Gulf Coast. The Broncos and Tigers have played similar levels of competition, with some good and some bad opponents, and both have 5-4 records.


That's not a lot to choose from, but try your best to enjoy.

[The Poet]

Late start today, so let's get right to last night's notable scores:

Oakland 89 - Tennessee 82 = Well well well well well! Oakland goes to 6-5 with this monster win, after giving Michigan State all they could handle Saturday. Looking at the other teams they've beaten, and those they have lost to, I still can't believe they are for real. But the proof is in the pudding, so either they are or the Vols are not.

Drexel 52 - Louisville 46 = I didn't have the balls to call for this upset, but I did feel the Dragons could give L'ville game. Well, it was a pretty crappy game, with both teams shooting under 40% from the floor and under 50% from the stripe, but it was more game than the Cardinals wanted. And so the second undefeated team falls, on the same night.

Tulane 57 - New Orleans 53 = I figured on a nice tight game here, and we got it.

Pacific 69 - Santa Clara 59 - Not as nice, not as tight, but worth the effort to stay up and watch.


Tonight's action continues the finals week crapfest, and is barely worth citing. Does anybody really care that Ohio State will stomp Florida Gulf Coast, or Baylor/Bethune-Cookman, Minnesota/Akron, UNLV/UCSB? But there may be a couple of competitive matchups:

Oregon State vs. Montana = Neither the Beavers nor the Grizzlies have played a tough schedule, nor have either played all that well, both being about .500 squads. So, in a night when there's not much to choose from, here might be some fun.

South Florida vs. Auburn = The Bulls have beaten Texas Tech and VCU, yet lost to to UCF and Florida Atlantic. As they don't know which team they are, how could I? Meanwhile, the Tigers have played next to nobody, and have beaten damn few of them. Again, we beggars can't be very choosy.


Don't ask me how you possibly can, but try to . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Turns out, there actually were a few pretty good games last night, the most important being:

UCSB 68 - UNLV 62 = After opening their season with 9 straight wins, some of them against quality opponents, the Runnin' Rebels have now lost 2 in a row. Maybe you can overlook the one to Louisville, but to lose to the Gauchos? Ay caramba! The Rebels have no one to blame but themselves, as they shot 29% from the field, and missed 14 of 34 FTs to boot.

Minnesota 66 - Akron 58 = And the Gophers did manage to pull out the victory, but they sure didn't do it very convincingly.

Eastern Washington 95 - Seattle 91 = This contest for the upper-left corner was one hard-fought battle to the end.

Montana 71 - Oregon State 66 = Plus, this one in the same general neck of the woods . . . well, upper back, anyway . . . was also.

Marshall 56 - Savannah State 47 = If you think your team's got bad luck, look at the Savannah State Tigers. They have not won a Division 1 game all season, but of their 11 losses they've had 8 of under 10 points. And they've played some damn decent teams too, like Dayton, Cincy, Indiana, Georgia Tech, and now Marshall.

Wake Forest 69 - N.C.Greensboro 67 = Meanwhile, the only halfway decent win the Deacs have had all year was their edging of Iowa. Now, they just barely edged a women's teachers college. Sheesh.

Saint Louis 69 - Jacksonville 64 = No more and no less than a tight one from two OK teams.

Presbyterian 74 - Jacksonville State 70 (OT) = And more of the same, from two appreciably less OK ones.


There is still very little going on, but I did find more games of note tonight:


Memphis vs. Austin Peay = This one could actually be closer than you think, at first glance. Sure, the Tigers have more talent, but they have shown lapses and growing pains.

N.C. State vs. Youngstown State = Speaking of growing pains, the Wolfpack's had them in spades. They really need to make some hay about getting their act together, before they take it to the Broadway of the ACC season.

AR Little Rock vs. Rice = I dunno, I really don't, but this one popped out at me for some dang reason.

LSU vs. McNeese State = Same here. Sometimes you just get a feeling.

Weber State vs. Tulsa = This one, I know why it pops. Here are two fairly decent programs, and both will want the W.

American vs. Northwestern = But now, we're back to the :sh factor. Beats me, I just got a hunch.

Northern Arizona vs. Arizona = I am not convinced the desert Wildcats are back. On the other hand, the Lumberjacks have only lost to Iowa State, Creighton, and USC . . . all at least middlin' teams. Yet they really haven't beaten anybody so far, since the rest of their schedule has been crap. This will at least tell us something about one of these AZ teams.


That's it from me for now. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Boy, sometimes I even surprise myself as to how good, or how lucky, I am. Yesterday I picked a handful of games I thought might be close, often for no reason but my gut. And what happened last night in those contests? Well:


Memphis 70 - Austin Peay 68 (OT) = Hey, I told you Pastner's boys have at times played like just that . . . boys. To give them some credit, they did finally show up when they needed to, and erased a 15-point 2nd-half deficit to force OT. However, to be honest and objective about it . . . :sl

LSU 78 - McNeese State 66 (OT) = As I said yesterday, I just had a feeling this would be tight.

Tulsa 81 - Weber State 79 (OT) = And as I said yesterday, I just KNEW this one would be tight.

Florida Atlantic 82 - Troy 77 (OT) = This was NOT one of my picks, but give these two crappy teams props for a hard-fought war.

Arizona 63 - Northern Arizona 58 = I'm not sure if this says anything much about either team, as I did not know to begin with what these teams truly are, and this victory showed neither dominance nor incompetence. Still, it was a good game.

Rice 65 - AR Little Rock 55 = And though this one was not nearly as close as some others, it was still close enough to remain interesting until the end.


Tonight there is much less going on, and I only found 4 that have (IMHO) some potential:


Tennessee vs. Charlotte = OK, well maybe not this one. The 49ers have not played all that well so far, and the Vols are likely cheesed about their loss to Oakland, and thus I'd expect them to focus, and win by 20.

Oregon vs. Virginia = But this one could be a lot better. I don't think either team is all that good, but I think both are good enough to give the other game.

Chattanooga vs. Elon = Same here.

Boise State vs. Utah = And again.


There will be many more games, of higher interest, on Saturday. I'll deal with most of them tomorrow, but there are a few with early tips I'll mention now, including:


# 3 Kansas vs. USC = The Jayhawks are a better team, without a doubt. However, they are also a team in some turmoil, as they just suspended a player due to his arrest for assault and trespassing. And I don't know if heralded freshman Josh Selby will be active then or not (I know it should be soon), but even if so, the addition of anyone new to a game situation (as opposed to practice) can be more disruptive than it is helpful, at least initially.

# 15 Georgetown vs. Loyola MD = I don't think the Hoyas are all that good, but they should not have any trouble here.

Oakland vs. Michigan = In case you haven't noticed, Oakland's had a good week. They lost to the Spartans by a point, then gave the Vols their first loss of this season. The Wolverines have only lost close games to Syracuse and UTEP, but they really don't have a "quality" victory. Clemson? Utah? Harvard, by 3? I'm curious to see if Oakland can keep it up.

East Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina = This one's just another of those testy matchups between two decent squads, and should be some fun.


I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to cherry-pick a few more games for you from the balance of the weekend's action. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Good Lord, there's a lot of games today . . . at long last . . . so let me get to it. I may even need to break this into bits, just to avoid the "post lost" problems I've had in the past. And I will certainly need to cherry-pick, which means you'll need to add any matchups which interest you, but which I skipped for brevity's sake.


But first, there were a few notable scores last night:


Charlotte 49 - Tennessee 48 = This one shocks me. Yeah, the 49ers needed a late shot to edge the Vols, but they should never had been in that position to begin with. UNC-C has not played very well this year, and judging by their meager scoring they played no better yesterday. Still, it is a great win for them, and they "improve" to a 5-6 record. Meanwhile UT should have been focused after their embarrassing loss to Oakland, yet apparently were not. So, after beating teams like 'Nova and Pitt, and reaching a # 7 ranking, they have lost 2 in a row, to teams they really should have beaten.

Chattanooga 71 - Elon 65 = But at least another team from the Volunteer State showed up against one from the Old North one. I thought this would be decent, and it was.

Utah 86 - Boise State 84 = This too I felt had some po', and such was the case.

Arizona State 78 - Nevada 75 = This was one of those contests between two so-so squads, so-so I skipped it. Yet it was a lot of fun, and at least a so-so victory for the Sun Devils.

Virginia 63 - Oregon 48 = But here, I thought it would be closer. UVA has spent a generation near the bottom of the ACC, while the Ducks are supposed to be "competitive" in the Left Coast League. Well, I caught a little friendly fire back a few weeks back when I called them another cupcake for Dook. Maybe I wasn't so far off. :D


Today's action is already underway, yet most of the scores are too lopsided to matter much, with the notable exception that USC is hanging pretty tough with the Jayhawks . . . so far . . ., and East Carolina/Coastal Carolina is a war. Select (believe it or not) games to follow include:


# 2 Ohio State vs. South Carolina = If any team has shown up as well as Duke this year, it's been the Buckeyes. They should take this. But the Gamecocks are pretty good themselves, and are known to toss a few upsets into their seasons. Remember, they gave Kentucky their first loss last year, back when people aside from Wildcats thought they were unbeatable.

# 5 Syracuse vs. Iona = And the Orange should take this, by three or four possessions anyway, but don't be shocked if the Gaels hang for a time. After losing their first 3, they've won 7 in a row, including one over the Richmond Spiders.

# 6 Kansas State vs. Florida = K-State's star Pullen has been pullin' a bit of a disappearing act lately, and the Gators have been inconsistent. This might actually be a fairly tight game . . . if it does not turn into a blowout.

# 8 Pitt vs. MD Eastern Shore = Meanwhile, this one is done, before it even begins.

# 9 Baylor vs. Gonzaga = Here we have a matchup between polar opposites, in that the Bears are not used to playing at this perceived level, whereas the 'Zags are not playing up to the level they are accustomed to. For that reason alone, I find this game interesting.

# 10 Villanova vs. Delaware = The 'Nova Cats have been inconsistent too, and Delaware's been at least OK. But their best win was over ODU, and good as that is, it's not at the "upset" heights one over 'Nova would be. Keep your eye on this, but don't let a blowout surprise you.

# 11 San Diego State vs. UCSB = The Aztecs remain on a roll. But the Gauchos are coming off big victories over Santa Clara and UNLV. This may be a decent contest here.

# 12 Illinois vs. Ill. Chicago = Yeah, I've used this joke before, but it is apt: "Ill Chicago is right". No contest.

# 13 Missouri vs. Central Arkansas = Save for the lame joke, ditto.

# 14 Michigan State vs. Prairie View A&M = And the only thing interesting about this one is the fact that Tom Izzo will be sitting it out, serving a one-game suspension by the NCAA for a minor violation during a summer camp. He does not like it, his AD at MSU does not like it, but unlike a number of whiners out there they both say it is what it is, and are moving past it. Good for them . . . and good for them that the suspension is now, as opposed to when they are actually playing somebody.

# 16 BYU vs. UCLA = Although I don't have a lot of faith in the Cougars, I have even less that the Bruins are back. This should be double-digits.

# 17 Kentucky vs. Miss. Valley State = And this will be double-digits.

# 19 Purdue vs. Indiana State = And this might not be, but it should be a Boilermaker W nonetheless.

# 20 Louisville vs. Gardner-Webb = But this one could be a lot closer than you might expect. The Cardinals have shown some holes, and G-W's not terrible.

# 22 UNLV vs. Southern Utah = The back-to-back losses by the Rebels will likely drop them from the ranks, yet they will also likely take this game . . . though I don't expect a spanking.

# 22 Texas vs. North Carolina = Yeah, I know . . . there are TWO # 22s in this week's AP poll, and no # 23. If there were a # 23 playing for the Tar Heels today, the Longhorns would have no chance. But there isn't, so this one will depend on whose young players show up instead. It should be within 2 or 3 possessions, either way.

# 25 Texas A&M vs. Arkansas = The Aggies have a better team than the Razorbacks, but this too should be close enough to hold your interest.


That's it for the "ranked" contests. I'll be back later with some other choices.

[The Poet]

We have 2 early finals of note:

Kansas 70 - USC 68 = Touted freshman Josh Selby made his debut for the Jayhawks, and they certainly needed him to pull this one out. He scored a game-high 21, and after KU had blown a big lead and let the Spartans get in the thick of it, even taking a slim lead, Selby hit the go-ahead 3 with 26 seconds to go, sealing a victory that was harder than it should have been . . . especially in Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

Coastal Carolina 59 - ECTC 58 = I figured this one would be fun, and it most certainly was all that.


Most of the other scores were either spankings or "who the hell cares?" games, but take note that, as I type, Ill. Chicago holds a slim lead over Illinois midway through the 2nd half. As for other games today, aside from those already posted:


UCF vs. Miami = This was an "early" pick, and with 20 seconds left, UCF leads by 3.

Stanford vs. Butler = This was another, but Butler's stomping the Cardinal.

Ohio vs. St. Bonaventure = At the moment, Bonnies by 5 with under 4 to play.

Cleveland State vs. West Virginia = WVA by 7 with 3 1/2 to go.

New Hampshire vs. Rhode Island = RI by 7 with 5 to go.

Tulane vs. VCU = VCU by 2 with under 3 to play.

Richmond vs. Georgia Tech = Not yet underway, but has the potential to be one damn close insectoid matchup between Spiders and Yellow Jackets.

James Madison vs. South Florida = And this too should be tight, at least for a while, though I'd expect the Bulls to bull forwards late.

LSU vs. Wichita State = And another decent pairing of close, albeit merely OK, teams.

Mississippi State vs. Virginia Tech = I'd give the Hokies the edge, but not by a ton.

Wake Forest vs. Xavier = And if the X-men ever decide to start playing, they should take the Deacs with some ease.


Sunday's schedule is crap, but there are two that could be at least worth checking out:

# 24 Notre Dame vs. Stony Brook = Sorry, make that one, as the Irish should cruise here.

Arizona vs. N. C. State = And if the Wolfpack does not finally start playing better, the desert Wildcats will spank them. However, they do have the young talent to make it a game.


That's it for now. I'm tired, so I'll leave you with . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

The Geek Squad is supposed to show up today, to check on my computer problems, so I may not be able to update today. Keep posted, and I will too.

[The Poet]

OK, so the Geek Squad cancelled, at the precise time they were supposed to be here, because the geek did not have his needed tools. What a geek, indeed. So lemme try to do at least a quick report of weekend action, of the more important scores. Hey, if I went into all the good games, I'd be here until midnight.

In the balance of Saturday there were some upsets and battles, including:


Gonzaga 68 - Baylor 64 = In previous years this would be no news, but as te Bears have been playing much better than the 'Zags (for a change), you'd have to call this an upset.

Florida 57 - Kansas State 44 = And the Gators once again access their bipolar personality, and beat an overrated K-State team which played like garbage. Forty-four points? Fifteen of 55 from the field, and 11-19 from the stripe? Crapola.

UCLA 86 - BYU 79 = Like the first game mentioned above, this would not have shocked you in the past. And, like the second, an overrated BYU squad got beat fairly convincingly. A much-needed quality win for the Bruins, who've had danged few lately.

Illinois Chicago 57 - Illinois 54 = And, unlike all the other ones above, there's just no gawddamn excuse for this. Are you kidding me? The Flames, coming in at 4-7, and on a 4-game losing streak, burn the Illini? Double-crapola, with a side of sheesh.

Syracuse 83 - Iona 77 = And this was not an upset, but it was too darn close to one to please Jim Boeheim, I guarantee you.

Texas A&M 71 - Arkansas 62 (OT) = Nor was this one, but if the Aggies were gonna outscore the 'Backs 11-2, like they did in OT, then why the hell couldn't they do it sooner?

Texas 78 - UNC 76 = Nor was this. But is was a quality victory for the Longhorns, and considering the problems the Tar Heels have been having, a quality loss for them . . . if there is such a thing, that is.

St. Bonaventure 112 - Ohio 107 (4OT) = And this . . . well, this was just a game-and-a-half, with neither team giving up, so both deserve some props.


As I said, I could mention a dozen other great games, some even of some significance, but there's just too many. If you have any you wish to note, or want some input on, feel free to bring them up. And, following this logic, there were a double-handful of fun games Sunday too. However, as none of them were truly "important", I'm gonna skip them all.

To move on to today's schedule, the first thing to note is the Florida Gators have already done what they've done all year . . . followed a good win with a bad loss, dropping one to Jacksonville 71-68 in OT. So, their shiny-new # 20 ranking is already gone, thank you very much and see you later. Other games later tonight include:

# 1 Duke vs. Elon = Well, this won't be much of a game at all, barring some miracle, and the only significance it will have is to Coach K himself. A victory will tie him with Dean Smith with 879 wins. Maybe it means something to him, and it almost certainly does to Dook fans. It almost certainly means little to Coach Smith, and nothing to me. K could win 10K games, and still not be as loved in North Carolina as Deano.

# 4 U. Conn vs. Coppin State = This must be a Christmas present for Jim Calhoun, to help take his mind off the fact the women's team is getting all the press, what with them tying the UCLA men's record of 88 straight wins.

# 5 Syracuse vs. Morgan State = And here's another gimme, though with the Orange zone there's always a shot a shooter can keep it close.

# 16 Memphis vs. TAMU Corpus Christi = Seems to me I recall TAMU playing some good team tough last year sometime. That being said, I'd expect this to be done by the half.

Vermont vs. Fairfield = And this is just one of those nice matchups.

Davidson vs. St. John's = Same here, and could be fun.

Stephen F. Austin vs. UTEP = And, although UTEP is a better team, SFA ain't all that bad either.


So, enjoy.

[BryanB]

Congrats to Coach K. No matter your opinion of Duke you gotta admit he is pretty good. :D

If it wasn't for Dean Smith, Krzyzewski would not be the force he is now, and vice versa. The greatest rivalry between coaches I can remember.

[The Poet]

Congrats to Coach K. No matter your opinion of Duke you gotta admit he is pretty good. :D

If it wasn't for Dean Smith, Krzyzewski would not be the force he is now, and vice versa. The greatest rivalry between coaches I can remember.

I too congratulate Coach K, for his consistency, his integrity, and his success. Now, if he could just learn how to take a joke. :r

And I would agree that, at least in the field of college basketball, the rivalry between Coach Smith and Coach Krzyzewski stands second to none.

Update, hopefully, to follow.

[The Poet]

For those clueless as to what Bryan and I were talking about:

Duke 98 - Elon 72 = And no, the game was pretty meaningless, in and of itself. And yes, Dook was flat and listless at home, yet still won by about 4 touchdowns. But the win tied Coach K with Dean Smith with 879, and # 2 on the all-time list behind The Kaptain's General, Bobby Knight. His next will put him in sole possession of the # 2 slot . . . if he can manage to beat perennial powerhouse N.C. Greensboro. :D


In other action, some of some actual significance:


U. Conn 76 - Coppin State 64 = At best, a win of this magnitude is pretty damn crappy. Four or five possessions, over Coppin State? And this is supposed to be the # 4 team in the nation? Gimme a break.

Memphis 68 - TAMU Corpus Christi 63 = And for the Memphis Tigers to let TAMU finish within 2 possessions? Jeez.

Virginia 50 - Norfolk State 49 = And more of the same here, actually. UVA's not gotten much notice, but they are now 8-3 with a few decent wins in there too. Meanwhile, NS has only one 1 game all year, and haven't really played much of anybody either.


Tonight there are many, many games, and I won't bore you with all that could be close. But to pick a few handfuls of "important" games:


# 2 Ohio State vs. N.C. Asheville = If the Buckeyes don't win by 20, they will appear on my Wall Of Shame tomorrow.

# 7 San Diego State vs. San Francisco = I'd expect much the same here, but there will be no shaming from me towards the Aztecs either way. OK, so they are 12-0, set to go 13-0 tonight, and have a shot of going XX-0 until sometime in March. All props to them. But they have played damn few decent teams, and anyone who thinks they are truly the 7th best team in the nation is nutz.

# 11 Kansas State vs. UNLV = Both teams have had reality checks lately, and I would expect both to come out shooting. This one could be close.

# 14 Purdue vs. IPFW = And this one could be dull. The Boilermakers have trouble scoring, and IPFW has trouble period. You'd have to pay me to watch this one.

# 19 Tennessee vs. USC = But this one could be a lot of fun. The Vols have lost 2 inna row, and the Trojans are playing better, having only lost to Kansas by 2.

# 23 BYU vs. Weber State = I think the Cougars will win, but Weber State can give them a half or more anyway.

Texas A&M vs. Wagner = And Wagner can give the Aggies half a half . . . maybe.

Wake Forest vs. Presbyterian = This is interesting because Wake is not very good, yet maybe a little better than some thought. On the other hand, The Blue Hose are not very good either, but they have had the guts to play almost anybody, so have that experience. Keep your eye on this one.

North Carolina vs. William & Mary = The Tar Heels have only this one and two more before the ACC season kicks off for them, so they'd better either start getting their act together now, or resign themselves to the possibility of repeating last year's disappointments.

Valparaiso vs. Oakland = These two have played some really good ball, on their own level at least, and that goes double for the Golden Grizzlies. I'm hoping for a good one here.

VCU vs. UAB = And pretty much the same story here, save maybe on a slightly higher level.

Stanford vs. Oklahoma State = And you can consider this one to be one more step up that same ladder.

UCLA vs. Montana State = After beating overranked, albeit still pretty good, BYU on Saturday, the Bruins need to start building on that by stomping the Bobcats into the dirt . . . or otherwise, face the same crap they did last year, with people claiming the Big Sky had surpassed the Pac-10.


Though I could give you two dozen likely good matchups tonight, I'm gonna leave it at that, and hope that you . . . enjoy.

[SD Beerman]

# 7 San Diego State vs. San Francisco = I'd expect much the same here, but there will be no shaming from me towards the Aztecs either way. OK, so they are 12-0, set to go 13-0 tonight, and have a shot of going XX-0 until sometime in March. All props to them. But they have played damn few decent teams, and anyone who thinks they are truly the 7th best team in the nation is nutz.




Though I could give you two dozen likely good matchups tonight, I'm gonna leave it at that, and hope that you . . . enjoy.

Maybe not 7 but we are having a good time here after beating a good team last week. Can't wait to play UNLV and BYU

[The Poet]

Maybe not 7 but we are having a good time here after beating a good team last week. Can't wait to play UNLV and BYU

Me neither, brother, for although I don't have a lot of faith in either the Casino Runs or the Stormin' Mormons, they will be the only sort of test your Aztecs will face until The Dance. And, # 7 or not, they are having a great year so far, and you SHOULD enjoy it, every danged second, as long as it lasts. :tu


Update to follow.

[The Poet]

I guess I should be happy to have some customers, but it's keeping me from doing this. So lemme get to it, quick and dirty.

For those wondering about the "Aztec" comments above:

San Diego State 62 - San Francisco 56 = Like I said, 13-0 . . . and, like I said, not the 7th best team in the land. To say they were "shaky" in this narrow victory is being generous, and to say Steve Fisher wasn't happy is being modest, if not downright deceitful.


In other games last night:


UNLV 63 - Kansas State 59 = Yeah, and I said above I had little faith in UNLV. But they may not have taken this had not key K-State seniors Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly been set down for a few games by the NCAA for receipt of improper benefits. Their Coach Frank Martin ain't happy about it. Tough.

BYU 72 - Weber State 66 = And though I figured Weber State could give the Cougars a half, this tight W shows why I'm no big believer in BYU too.

USC 65 - Tennessee 64 = The Vols are falling apart. Maybe it's Bruce Pearl's bad karma.

UAB 68 - VCU 65 = I told you this one would be good.

Valparaiso 103 - Oakland 102 = Same here.

Presbyterian 66 - Wake Forest 64 = And I told you to keep an eye on this one.

Idaho 69 - Oregon 65 = Again, the 7-5 Ducks demonstrate their cupcakeness. So far their only "quality" win is over UCSB!

Austin Peay 86 - Morehead State 85 (OT) = What else do you need say?


Already today Kentucky crushed Winthrop 89-52 (whatta shock), and Miami took Rice 73-67. Quickly, other games amongst many tonight, and many I perforce must skip:


Baylor vs. San Diego = N/C.

Villanova vs. Monmouth = N/C 2.

Pitt vs. American = N/C 3.

South Carolina vs. Furman = Could be damned good, this one.

Liberty vs. Hampton = And though few people care, same here.

Michigan State vs. Texas = And despite many people caring, same here.

U. Conn vs Harvard = I'd expect the Cardinal to hang fairly tough, at least for a while.

UCF vs. U. Mass = UCF might just lose its new ranking tonight, if they ain't careful.

Marshall vs. James Madison = Two quality programs, one good game.

Clemson vs. Charleston = This will go down to the last minute.

Syracuse vs. Drexel = And Drexel will give the Orange more game than they want.

Rider vs. LaSalle = Again, two good teams head-to-head.

Florida vs. Radford = Back to N/C territory.

Notre Dame vs. UMBC = Still there.

Indiana vs. Northern Iowa = But not here. This is a potential war.

Vermont vs. Iona = This one too.

Missouri vs. Illinois = This one three.

San Diego State vs. IUPUI = Only if the Aztecs again come out flat will this one last past the half.

Samford vs. Creighton = Don't be surprised if this one is a hell of a game, believe it or not.

Kansas vs. California = KU should win by a dozen, and maybe more if Selby is hot again.

Utah vs. Butler = Here, here is one to watch.

Xavier vs. Gonzaga = Here's another.

Florida State vs. Hawaii = And if you can stay up until the wee hours, this one might be decent too.


Wish I had more time, but I don't. Add your own games or comments, and enjoy.

[Parshooter]

How about them UConn women :noon


;s

[The Poet]

How about them UConn women :noon


;s

No need to be sorry. Geno and his girls have had a remarkable run, and there seems no end in sight. Of course, being the sexist misogynist pig I am, I'd be more impressed if somebody broke UCLA's men's streak, and not merely established a women's one.

Update to follow.

[The Poet]

There were quite a few good games last night, but few surprises or important scores to note. So I only selected a couple or four:


San Diego State 56 - IUPUI 54 = For the second game inna row, the Aztecs have tried to spit the bit, and both times against teams they should have owned . . . if they are a Top Ten team, anyway. Is the pressure starting to get to them? Or are they just tired, and ready for a break? Me, I'm always of the opinion that several regular-season losses are good for a squad, as you learn more from them than you do from easy wins. Plus, it's always better to get it out of the way sooner than later.

Missouri 75 - Illinois 64 = The Tiger win does not surprise me. The margin over the Illini does seem just a tad high, however.

Texas 67 - Michigan State 55 = Same here, save that I'm starting to wonder why the Spartans are still getting so much respect. Hey, they are now 8-4, with their only "quality" wins over South Carolina and Washington . . . which ain't sayin' all that much. True, they have played a tough schedule, but still . . . :confused:

Florida 66 - Radford 55 = And the Gators keep confusing me also. Who the hell are they, and why was Radford this damn close? The Highlanders have lost 9 in succession, and have not beaten a Division 1 team all year! Florida should have WON by 55, or at least 33. Sheesh!


Today we have fewer games than yesterday, but still there's some decent ones to choose from. Already Arizona State has edged N.C. A&T 56-50 (not too good), and Miami took Akron 69-61 (maybe a tad better). Other games I'm interested in include:


# 2 Ohio State vs. Oakland = One would expect the Buckeyes to romp, but Oakland has been a tough out. I don't call for an upset, or even a close game, but I am interested to see how they play against OSU.

# 10 Georgetown vs. # 16 Memphis = The Hoyas have been solid, but not dominant. The Tigers, like their confreres in Knoxville, have seemed to hit a wall. I think G'town by four possessions, but it should be a nice game anyway.

# 11 Kansas State vs. Mo. Kansas City = And K-State should not need their two suspended stars to win this one, so I don't want no whining from Coach Martin, win or lose.

# 15 Baylor vs. Washington State = This one could be fairly tight, with whoever executes in the last 5 minutes taking it.

# 17 Minnesota vs. So. Dakota State = And this one might last a half or so, before the Gophers go for the throat.

# 19 Tennessee vs. Belmont = The Vols, as we all know, have shattered like a Christmas ornament dropped upon the hearth. And don't expect Belmont to wrap them up any gift either, since they have a nice team and a successful program.

# 23 BYU vs. UTEP = UTEP's not the best team in Tejas, but they're not the worst either. This could be a closer game than you think.

Virginia Tech vs. St. Bonaventure = And here's a real nice matchup, believe it or not.

ODU vs. Presbyterian = Plus, the Blue Hose have shown they are no pushovers, so keep an eye on this.

Colorado vs. Indiana = And here we have another toss-up.

Florida State vs. Butler = Ditto.

New Mexico vs. Northern Iowa = Yep, here too.

Utah vs. Hawaii = And again.


I could even find you some more, but that's gonna be it from me for now. So, enjoy.

[The Poet]

Although there was only one result last night which can be called an upset, there were a fair number of notable scores. I'll begin with the upset:


Washington State 77 - Baylor 71 = OK, so maybe this is only an upset because the Bears are overranked at # 15, for no good reason. Look at the facts: The Cougars are now 10-1, with a few good wins over the likes of Gonzaga, Miss. State, Santa Clara, Portland, with their only loss being a close one to Kansas State. On the other hand, this was Baylor's 2nd loss, who have played a soft schedule, with their best wins over Arizona State and LaSalle, plus their other loss was to Gonzaga. Maybe this game will act as a reality check . . . if not for them, for the "experts".

Tennessee 66 - Belmont 65 = But here was a near upset, though maybe not either. The Vols are in disarray and just escaped their 4th L in a row, and as I told you yesterday, Belmont is no Christmas cookie.

Minnesota 85 - South Dakota State 73 = And though this was nowhere near an upset, it was a lot damn closer than it really should have been.

Georgetown 86 - Memphis 69 = And this was even further away from an upset, as I figured the Hoyas would learn the young Tigers. However, I did not expect they would take their lunch and give them a wedgie, so maybe that's upsetting to some. But again, to be honest, Memphis has not played all that well, and have not taxed themselves with a difficult schedule either (wins over Miami, LSU, Western Kentucky? meh.), so if they don't get their act together they may even end up a mid-pack CUSA team.

Butler 67 - Florida State 64 = On the other hand, the Bulldogs have played a decent schedule, and perhaps are finally finding life after Gordon Hayward.

Miami 69 - Akron 61 = Not a great win for the Hurricanes, but not a worse loss either.

Virginia Tech 76 - St. Bonaventure 68 (OT) = Hey, I told you that, believe it or not, this one would be good.

Northern Iowa 66 - New Mexico 60 = And again, I told you.

Arizona State 56 - N.C. A&T 50 = As with the Miami one above, not a nice victory for the Sun Devils, but better than no victory at all.

UCLA 74 - UC Irvine 73 = Same here for the Bruins.


There is very little action anywhere over the next three days, as one would expect. In case you didn't realize it, there's some sort of holiday happening. Yet there are several possible good matchups. Tonight:


Colorado State vs. Southern Mississippi = These are fairly even squads, and should be fun.

Mississippi vs. Saint Louis = Ole Miss is a bit better, but far from unbeatable, so if SL shows up, this could be some fun too.


On Saturday, AKA Christmas Day:


Mississippi State vs. Hawaii = Why is it half the games over the "break" involve the state of Mississippi? Well, whatever. In any case, this one should stay pretty even.

Baylor vs. Florida State = As I said above, the Bears have scarcely tested themselves so far. The Semi-holes will be one, for most of the game anyway.

Butler vs. Washington State = Both teams need to build upon their last victory. I'd expect a real war here.


On Sunday, Boxing Day:


Richmond vs. Seton Hall = It should not shock you by now to know I am a closet Spider fan, and not one bit a Pirate one. Still, I believe this will be a decent game. Besides, you have no other option, so you might as well watch it.


That's it. I'll be out of here until Monday afternoon, so Merry Christmas to all, and to all . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Well, I'm back, and because of the blizzard I'm even a little early, since I was the only one who could make it to work. When your commute is two minutes, by foot, there's little excuse. I hope you all had a great holiday, but now it' time to put my ample honker back on the grindstone.


On Friday, Christmas Eve:


Mississippi 69 - Saint Louis 61 = As I said, if the Billikens showed up, this one could be some fun. Maybe if Rick Majerus had shown up himself (he was out sick, though it is reportedly not serious), they perhaps could have grabbed the upset.

Colorado State 63 - Southern Mississippi 58 = And I also had the feeling this would be close too. So, though there wasn't much action, what there was was choice.


On Saturday Christmas Day:


Florida State 68 - Baylor 61 = Well, the Bears failed their test against the Seminoles, and have paid the price by dropping out of the latest AP poll . . . and with good reason. But despite their overranking, this was still a good win for FSU.

Hawaii 68 - Mississippi State 57 = This one was not as close as I thought it would be, but it likely would have been had the Bulldogs not put their two best bigs in the penalty box. Renardo Sidney and Elgin Bailey were both suspended from the MSU team indefinitely, and only because they got into a fistfight in the stands Thursday night, in front of cameras to boot. Hey, what's a little beatdown between roommates, hunh? Their absence allowed the Rainbow Warriors to own the paint, and take the win. Good for them, and good for Miss. State for not putting up with such nonsense.

San Diego 67 - Utah 64 = I did not mention this game in my post last Friday because I did not think the Toreros had a snowball's chance in Honolulu. It's not that the Utes are that good, being merely a .500 or so team, but San Diego purely sucks! This victory "improved" their record to 3-10, and was their first win over a D-1 opponent all year. Good for them, and keep it up, Toreros. The Aztecs need a little competition. :D


On Sunday, Boxing Day (or here on the East Coast, the first day of a White Kwanzaa):


Richmond 69 - Seton Hall 61 = As I had hoped, a decent game, and a Spider W. And the fact that Pirates senior guard Jeremy Hazell was shot the night before played no factor in the game, since he was already out after wrist surgery for an injury sustained early this month. Reportedly, his wound was not life-threatening, being a shot in the arm (which he wasn't for the Hall). I wish him a rapid and full recovery, and advise him that a night in the hospital is better than the 3-to-5 in jail. If he doubts this he should just ask his former teammates (and his former coach). :r


I'm gonna take a little break now, and be back later with the upcoming schedule . . . what hasn't been cancelled due to the blizzard (already the Fordham game at Georgia Tech is snowed out). Back shortly.

[The Poet]

My 'net went down for a time, and I thought I'd not get to come back and preview. But it's up again, so lemme try to get this in before it crashes again. So far, there's been no official word of other games cancelled do to the weather, which means we may have tonight:


# 2 Ohio State vs. Tennessee-Martin = Though we really won't have this one, as it shouldn't be much of a game at all.

# 4 U. Conn vs. # 6 Pitt = And though I'm still not convinced either of these two deserve their high rankings (though I'm also lothe to propose alternative choices), this should be a great matchup to begin Big Mouth Conference play for both teams.

# 22 Louisville vs. Morgan State = And if this one lasts more than a half, I'd be shocked.

Penn State vs. Indiana = Neither of these squads will compete for the national championship, or even their conference one, but they are fairly evenly matched and should give us a decent game.

Missouri vs. Northern Illinois = However, this one should be double-digits for the Tigers by the horn.

UAB vs. George Washington = The Blazers have a better team, and ought to build a lead as the game progresses. Yet we could get a half or more of action before then.


There will also be a couple of early games on Tuesday, before I get in here:


Purdue vs. Michigan = The Boilermakers have not been great, especially on the offensive end, while the Wolverines have played better than anyone expected. This one just might be pretty close.

N.C. State vs. Alabama A&M = But if this one is, that means Sidney Lowe has still not gotten the attention of his young Wolfpack talent, and he just might be advised to start looking for a new job now.


Back sometime tomorrow afternoon, unless one of you poses a query or objection. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Out of the limited number of games last night, only a few scores struck me:


Pitt 78 - U. Conn. 63 = Going into this, I thought it was a toss-up, yet it seems the only thing tossed up was the Huskies' lunch. The victory by the Panthers does not surprise me, but the size of the margin does a bit. Guess this is a reality check in Storrs.

Penn. State 69 - Indiana 60 = As I expected, a pretty close game.

Portland 66 - Nevada 62 = Here's one I did not preview, and for damn good reason: I didn't think the Wolf Pack had a shot in hell at giving the Pilots any sort of game at all. Portland came in with a 10-3 record, with Nevada at a sickly 3-9. They are now 3-10, but can consider this a moral victory, if such a thing exists.


In today's action, Purdue has already crushed Michigan 80-57, and at last check N.C. State was doing much the same to Alabama A&M. Other games of some importance, or at least interest, include:


# 5 Syracuse vs. Providence = The Orange should prevail, even by double-digits, but the Friars ain't all that bad themselves, so should give us a fairly good one here.

# 11 Kentucky vs. Coppin State = And if this one's still a game at the half, I'll be surprised.

# 14 Minnesota vs. Wisconsin = As one would normally expect of these two, here shall be a war. There will be blood in the lane before it's over.

Cincinnati vs. DePaul = The Bearcats are better, and will probably win by a bunch. Yet the Blue Demons can be dangerous, and 4 of their 6 losses were by anywhere from 7 to 2 stinkin' points.

Xavier vs. Albany = The Musketeers don't seem to be as good as they have been in the past, while the Great Danes may be a little better. However, a little better will likely be a little too little. Pick the X-Men to open it up in the 2nd half.

South Florida vs. Seton Hall = Both the Bulls and the Pirates are about .500 teams, and with Big Mouth play just starting they won't remain that "good" for long. This might mean we'd expect a close one, and it may well be. But Seton Hall has had so much crap hit them in the last year (the latest being having their star senior shot!) they may be in shock, and won't show up at all. Don't be surprised if this becomes a laffer.

Florida vs. Fairfield = The Gators should be on an entirely different level than are the Stags, and they may be planning on a walk-over here. It could happen. Yet Fairfield, after losing three inna row to "better" competition (Rutgers, Penn State, St. Joe's), they have run off 7 Ws. They will lose, but they might just give Billy Donovan some anxious moments.

Valparaiso vs. Ball State = The Valpo Crusaders are OK, and the Ball State Lettermen . . . uh, Cardinals . . . aren't terrible. This one could be fun.

North Carolina vs. Rutgers = I am assuming that the Tar Heels managed to get into Newark Liberty International Snowbank to make this game at The Garden. If so, then I also hope that, aside from getting there, they also show up. They have more talent than does the Scarlet Knights, and have even begun to play a bit better. But Rutgers hasn't played badly themselves, losing only to Princeton and St. Joe's so far, while beating decent teams like Fairfield, Miami, and St. Peter's. If both teams play to their potential, the Heels will win big. If only one plays up to snuff, Roy better hope it is his kids.

Sam Houston State vs. Air Force = To be honest, I don't know a damn thing about either team. But their records are similar, so I hope they can give us some sort of action.


Oh, and at the half, it was NCSU 42-'Bama A&M 20. But 'Bama's scored the first point of the second, so it ain't over yet! :r

Back tomorrow, so until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

If my boss ever gets the fark out of here, I'll get to the update and preview. If not, then I'll certainly have a chance tomorrow . . . I'm gonna be here about 10 straight hours, alone.

[The Poet]

Since the boss kept hangin' about last evening, tying up the phones and generally making a nuisance of himself, I had no chance to do this then. So now lemme put on a full-court press and play a little catch-up.


Games of note Tuesday 12/28:


Wisconsin 68 - Minnesota 60 = I begin with what most consider an upset. I'm not one of them, for as I predicted, this one turned out to be a war. It's a great win for the Badgers, and not that bad a loss for the Gophers, disappointing as it may be.

Syracuse 81 - Providence 74 = And though the Orange did not quite hit that double-digit margin I predicted, they did get the W over what I knew would be a tough Friar team.

Purdue 80 - Michigan 57 = And yes, I know I already gave this final, but there's one interesting point I missed. This was but a 4-point lead for the Boilermakers at the half, then they scored 50 in the second to blow away the Wolverines. So you see, Purdue CAN score, on occasion anyway.

N.C. Asheville 85 - Western Carolina 79 (OT) = I did not preview this one, but this Battle of the Smokies deserves to be noted.

St. Bonaventure 82 - Siena 79 = Nor did I pick this one, yet it too turned into a real snowball fight.

UNC 78 - Rutgers 55 = And I'm not so much citing this rout in MSG because I'm a Heel, but rather to mention an interesting factoid: Carolina and Rutgers (which, despite the deceiving name, IS the University of New Jersey, believe it or not) have met on the court 13 times. The first game was back in 1921, and Rutgers took the victory (I have no idea of the score, but knowing what I do of basketball of the past, it was likely something like 11-8 :r ). Since then, the Scarlet Knights have lost to the Tar Heels each and every time. So it's not quite a century of futility, but it is getting close.


On Wednesday 12/29:


Duke 108 - N.C. Greensboro 62 = I kick off last night's action with this one not because the game was good, or in any way unexpected. The UNC-G Spartans didn't have a snowball's chance against the Blue Devils . . . well, maybe if Durham had gotten socked with 2 feet of snow so their bus couldn't have made it over to Greensboro they might have gotten a forfeit . . . as they have yet to win a game all year, no matter how good or bad the competition, and fell to 0-12. But I would be remiss if I did not congratulate Coach K on his 880th win, which puts him one above Dean Smith for sole possession of second in all-time victories behind his mentor, Bobby Knight (with, if I'm not mistaken, has 902). Coach K deserves all the accolades for passing his arch rival . . . and, if he had the same amount of class Coach Smith did, he would now retire, in the same way Dean did once he got one more win then Adolph Rupp. :D

Notre Dame 69 - Georgetown 55 = And though this can't be considered a huge upset, as the Irish have played well all season, and the Hoyas have been shaky at times, the win is a very good one, and the margin is a bit of a shock. But it is not the only one like this . . .

Tennessee 68 - Tenn. Martin 62 = Are you freakin' kidding me? The Vols were hot as a pistol, but have fallen apart. OK, they got the W. Big deal. The Skyhawks have only won 4 games so far this year, and only two were against D-1 squads. Their previous game was a loss to Ohio State . . . by 60 points, or 10X the margin here. Please.

Illinois 87 - Iowa 77 = And this one for the Illini ain't a whole lot better. OK, these Hawks are better than those above, but not by all that much. Iowa is now 7-6, and their only "quality" win was against a meh Alabama team.

Washington 73 - USC 67 (OT) = And this one for the Huskies is a good amount worse. They are supposed to be the class of the Pac-10, whereas the Trojans are about a .500 team at best. I don't care that the game was in LA . . . to go to OT here is pitiful.

Vanderbilt 77 - Marquette 76 = OK, so this one's not so bad. The Commodores are pretty good , but not commanding, and the Golden Eagles ain't half-bad themselves. Their 3 previous losses were to Dook, Gonzaga, and Wisconsin, so there's no shame there.

Auburn 88 - Georgia Southern 84 (OT) = Not a very good win for the Tigers, but considering how bad they are I guess it's better than another loss.

Quinnipiaac 82 - Boston U. 81 = In case you haven't been noticing, the Q. Bobcats have been having a nice year so far. This close victory moves them to 9-2, with their only losses coming to decent team, Vermont and U. Mass.

Dayton 73 - George Mason 67 = And the Flyers have made a little noise too. This is another good win for them. The Patriots are not what they were some years back, but they had won 7 in a row before this loss.

New Hampshire 68 - Cornell 66 = To be honest, I don't know if this is an OK win, or a bad one, for the NH Wildcats. On the one hand, they pretty much stink. On the other, the Big Red totally sucks, as this was their 8th loss in a row. But on the third hand, 6 of those 8 Ls were by 5 points or less. So I am completely befuddled. Yeah, I know: "What else is new?"

Towson 93 - LaSalle 90 (OT) = And this just adds to my confusion. The LaSalle Explorers may be a .500 team, but they have played fairly well at times, and only lost to Villanova by 3 back on the 12th. Meanwhile, the Tigers have been lousy, coming into the game at 3-7. This should not have gone to OT, and LaSalle should not have lost. But it did, and they did, and I don't get it.

St. Mary's 94 - Mississippi State 72 = But this one, I do get. The Gaels are pretty danged good, and may have had the edge even before the Bulldogs became a doughnut team by suspending their two best bigs for fighting in the stands out in Hawaii. Lends a whole new meaning to "Dawg Pound", doesn't it?

Rhode Island 67 - Boston College 65 = The BC Eagles were on a roll, and had even started to gain some national attention. But the Rams told them where they could shove that with this victory. Here was an excellent game from two good teams, either of which could have, or even should have, won.

Delaware 54 - Santa Clara 53 = And though the Blue Hens and the Broncos are both .500 teams, they were well-matched, as the final indicates.

New Mexico 61 - Texas Tech 60 = But now I'm back in the puzzlement again. The Lobos have been playing well, and the Red Raiders have not been playing worth a squat. This should not have been a 1-point game, even in Lubbock.

UCLA 80 - Washington State 71 = And though this should perhaps confuse me too, it really doesn't. The Pac-10 is still a mess, and although the Bruins are not back, and though this was just the Cougars 3rd loss all season, nothing out of the Left Coast surprises me all that much these days. Just chalk it up as a nice win for UCLA, and move on.

St. John's 81 - West Virginia 71 = And even though the Johnnies are even further away from being back than are the aforementioned Bruins, and from a greater distance (time-wise, I mean), this is an even better win for the Red Storm, over what has recently been one of the better teams in the Big Mouth Conference. And and even even though though the Mountaineers may not be nearly as good this year, they still are not garbage, so give St. John's some credit, and some hope they won't be scraping the bottom of the barrel in the East again.


I'll check out the upcoming action and give my preview later in the day. See you then.

[BigAsh]

Big game tonite is Big Five matchup between Temple and Nova, at Nova....Hoot Hoot!! Go Owls!!

[The Poet]

Big game tonite is Big Five matchup between Temple and Nova, at Nova....Hoot Hoot!! Go Owls!!

Yes indeed, Keith, this should be a good one, and maybe even the best one of the night. Me, I'd have to give the Wildcats a slight edge over your Owls, as I think both their personnel and their coach is a bit better. But as you well know, any Big 5 matchup can be a total war.

Some other action has already concluded today. Charlotte edged Mercer 64-63, and Virginia Tech had more trouble with South Carolina Upstate than it probably should have, only pushing it out late for a 64-53 win. And at last check, with 5 minutes to go, Belmont was up over Miami OH by 7. To follow we will have these:


# 10 Missouri vs. ODU = I can see this one being really close, and it may depend on who can execute in the last few minutes.

# 16 BYU vs. Buffalo = However, this one should not be close at all. I don't have great faith in BYU, but I have none at all for Buffalo.

# 19 UCF vs. Princeton = Seems to me the Tigers have been playing better, and they certainly have faced enough quality opposition to be ready for this game. As for UCF, I am interested to see if that OTHER MJ, Marcus Jordan, can continue to do his daddy proud. Might be a decent contest.

# 21 Memphis vs. Lipscomb = And this might be more decent than you might think. The Tigers have repeatedly shown their youth, and Lipscomb may not have the name, but they are no easy out either.

VCU vs. New Hampshire = While I want to think VCU should own this one, I just have this feeling NH will hang real tough.

Iowa State vs. Virginia = And though neither of these two are the class of their respective conferences, they are both at least decent, and are fairly evenly matched. Should be fun.

Arizona vs. Oregon = I realize the desert Wildcats are not totally back, but I also realize the Ducks suck. This could get real ugly, real early.

Arizona State vs. Oregon State = But here we have two closer squads, so we could have some entertainment before it's over.


I could pick many others, yet as they are in the "who cares?" category (South Dakota State vs. Mo. KC? Wisc. GB vs. Detroit?) I'll just leave you with . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

I've got much too much to cover, and much too little time, so . . .

Last night:

BYU 90 - Buffalo 82 = Maybe this tells you why I've been saying all along I have little faith in the Cougars.

UCF 68 - Princeton 62 = I knew the Tigers would keep this close.

Villanova 78 - Temple 74 = And as I told Keith, I'd give 'Nova the slight edge.


I could give a dozen more, but there's no time. So . . .

Today already, Purdue stomped Northwestern 82-69, Kentucky beat Louisville 78-63, and that Charleston team I keep telling you is no damn cupcake crushed Tennessee 91-78. In progress are many others, including St. Joe's/Siena, UCLA/Wash., and Minn./Mich. State. Maybe I can get back with finals. Others good ones are:

Florida vs. Xavier

Texas A&M vs. McNeese State

U. Conn vs. South Florida

Ohio State vs. Indiana


On New Year's Day:

West Virginia vs. Marquette

Georgetown vs. DePaul

Valparaiso vs. Butler

New Mexico vs. Dayton

Syracuse vs. Notre Dame

Boston College vs. South Carolina

St. John's vs. Providence


On Sunday 1/2/11:


Villanova vs. Rutgers

Gonzaga vs. Wake Forest

Memphis vs. Tennessee State

UNC vs. St. Francis PA

Penn State vs. Michigan

Marshall vs. St. Bonaventure

Vanderbilt vs. Davidson

LSU vs. Virginia

Illinois vs. Wisconsin

Charlotte vs. Georgia Tech

Kansas vs. Miami OH

Duke vs. Miami FL

California vs. Stanford


I'd love to give my usual commentaries on these, but hey . . . you try working in a liquor store on New Year's Eve, and when the MegaMillions jackpot is about $250M. Sheesh, will these people stop handing me money and just go the fark home?

Enjoy your games, and have a great New Year's. If not sooner, I'll be back Monday.

[The Poet]

Were I to comment on every close game that ended one year and began another, I'd tire and bore myself much more than you. So, skipping all the blowouts and the who-gives-a-fark contests, I can trim this down to a manageable number of meaningful scores.

To finish up for Friday 12/31:

Michigan State 71 - Minnesota 62 = A good win for the Spartans, who lost their mojo for a time, and may be getting some back.

U. Conn 66 - South Florida 61 (OT) = OK, the Bulls are not total crap, but they are nearly that. They had lost 5 of their previous 6 coming into Hartford for this one, whereas the Huskies had moved from pre-season nobodies up to # 4 in the polls. So tell me . . . is this how a supposedly top team performs in what is essentially a home game against a sub. 500 opponent? U. Conn is seriously over-rated, and is due for a equally serious comeuppance.

On Sat. 1/1/11:


Dayton 76 - New Mexico 73 (2OT) = Had I had had the time last Friday, I would have told you to catch this one. The only bad thing about this game was the relatively poor shooting by both teams, and thus the low score for a double-OT game. Collectively, they were 49-128 from the field, and together gathered 92 rebounds . . . nearly twice as many as shots made.

St. John's 67 - Providence 65 = You may recall last year, when the Red Storm (god, I hate that name!) got off to a very good start, only to come down to earth again. Well, the Johnnies are at it again, and this win coupled with their previous one over WVU gives them a boost to begin conference play. Hey, at 2-0 they are ahead of U. Conn, Georgetown, and Notre Dame . . . all ranked squads.

Arizona State 60 - Oregon 55 = This marks the Ducks 4th L in succession. I told you the Ducks suck, didn't I Bryan? :D And speaking of Bryan . . .


On Sunday 1/2:


Duke 74 - Miami 63 = I guess this is a good enough win for the Blue Devils. Yes, Dook is the unanimous # 1 in both major polls, yes it was in Cameron, and yes the Hurricanes are not total garbage, though they have yet to beat any team this year that is, has been, or is likely to be ranked. But it is the ACC, so I reckon a measly 11-point victory is reason enough to be, if not happy, at least content.

Memphis 91 - Tennessee State 86 = However, if anybody in yodeling distance of Graceland is happy with this poor-ass showing by the Tigers, they oughta be horse-whipped. To edge Tenn. State like this, what with their 6-8 record, and only "boasting" 4 D-1 wins . . . in your own house? Whatta loadda crap.

Illinois 69 - Wisconsin 61 = Much like the Duke win, I guess this is fine for the Illini, and even a bit better. They are not supposed to be as good as Dook, while the Badgers are better than is Miami. And, as with the ACC, wins in the Big 10 ain't that easy to come by, so you take what you can get.

Michigan 76 - Penn State 69 = Like this.

Oregon State 76 - Arizona 75 = For those of you desert Wildcat fans who thought your team was back, this does not of necessity mean otherwise. Yet when you consider that the Beavers will struggle to remain a .500 squad, it does not bode well either.

Charlotte 86 - Georgia Tech 83 (2OT) = In the long run, it is unlikely this game will mean much to either team, as neither seem likely to make much noise this season. But it was one hell of a fight, and they both deserve some props for the entertainment value alone.

Bucknell 62 - Richmond 61 = Here's one that catches me by surprise. The Spiders have played very well, and the Bison have been . . . well, the Bison. Hey, I guess that's why they play the games, right?


There are a number of games tonight, but only a few offer the reasonable expectation of being any damned good:

Kentucky vs. Pennsylvania = This ain't one of them. The Wildcats will probably win by a higher number than they can count. But that's no problem, as the Quakers can always give them the derivative in base 8.

Kansas State vs. Savannah State = And this won't be one either. These Wildcats might even win by a greater margin.

Texas A&M vs. Nicholls State = And though this may be a bit closer, it won't be close enough to be worth watching.

Georgetown vs. St. John's = OK, now here we could have about 3/4ths a game here. I'd expect the Hoyas to prevail in the end, but I don't expect the new and improved Johnnies to fold up like a cheap tent.

Michigan State vs. Northwestern = The Spartans are trying to regain their poise, and need to win big to maintain some forward momentum. Yet, although this particular pride of Wildcats are not what those noted above are, they are not total pushovers either. Could be fairly close, for a half or so anyway.

Rhode Island vs. Florida = And this one could actually be one damn nice one, start to finish. The Gators are up-and-down, and the Rams are pretty decent most nights. It could go either way.

Jacksonville vs. Campbell = And this one will actually be one damn nice one, you can count on it. The Dolphins might be slightly better, but it is in the Fighting Camels' oasis, so plan on it going down to the wire.


That's it for now. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

I found several interesting results from last night's action, the most notable being:


St. John's 61 - Georgetown 58 = Although I figured the Johnnies could give the Hoyas game, I would never have had the chutzpah to predict they would win. And although I rarely ever mention the much-maligned RPI rankings, I do strongly suspect that this loss will drop Georgetown from its # 1 rating there, a position they have held without sufficient justification for a week or more now. Otherwise, I shall only say that the Hoyas seem to have fallen back into their age-old habit, that of being a very good defensive team, and a totally average offensive one.

Michigan State 65 - Northwestern 62 = And I find this one nearly as interesting, since the Spartans really should have won by much more than a single possession. So, for all you critics giving Roy Williams such a hard time, why don't you save a few bolts for Tom Izzo, hunh?

Auburn 65 - Florida State 60 = Here again, there seems no good reason for this loss by the Semiholes. Prior to this one, they had only dropped games to quality opponents like Florida, Ohio State, and Butler, while beating a good Baylor squad along the way. As for Auburn, they pretty much have stunk up the gym all year long, and not in a good way. This one had to hurt. But, speaking of Butler . . .

Wisc. Milwaukee 76 - Butler 52 = Wow. Hey, I started out saying to begin this thread that Butler would not be nearly as good nor as successful as last year's group, yet of late they have been playing better. Well, their 6-game winning streak has ended, with a big boom. I'm not saying W-M sucks, but when a team loses by 24 points, it stings.

Texas A&M 66 - Nicholls State 55 = And any time a team which supposedly deserves a national ranking beats a bunch like Nicholls State by a mere 11 points, it should sting a little too. We've seen worse wins this season, but not by a lot.

Jacksonville 67 - Campbell 65 = I told you this would be one damn nice game that would go down to the end. See, I'm not a complete idiot.


There are quite a few games this evening, but many of them pit one 2-10 team against another, so although they may thus be close ones, who actually gives a flying fark? However, there are a handful of pretty good ones, or at least ones with the potential to be pretty good:

Ohio State vs. Iowa = The Buckeyes are much better than the Hawkeyes, yet keep your Owneyes on this one. As with any conference matchup, it just might turn into a fight before it's over . . . and in the Big Ten, that could be taken literally.

Pitt vs. Providence = And it's pretty much the same story here. Put your money on the Panthers, but don't be shocked if the Friars cover the spread (and no, I have no idea what that spread is, but it really doesn't matter).

Texas vs. Arkansas = The hits just keep on comin'. Once more, the Longhorns have the beef, but the Razorbacks have the nasty attitude. Expect a fairly close one.

U. Conn vs. Notre Dame = And though this is less a David/Goliath situation than those above, being more of a heavyweight bout, this one could go a long way towards telling us which of these 2 Big Mouth teams are for real . . . if either actually are.

Indiana vs. Minnesota = Back to the Big Ten, and another shot at a bloody battle. The Gophers have the better personnel, but the Hoosiers are playing a bit better than they have in years, so they could make a decent game of it, for at least a half or more.

West Virginia vs. DePaul = Here again, we have two well-matched opponents, with WVA being the slight favorite (in my eyes, anyway). Yet the Blue Demons have played OK from time to time, and since both teams are now 0-2 in conference play, you know both want the victory. If nothing else, the intensity should be there all game long.

Missouri State vs. Creighton = And here we might have, with the exception of the Huskies/Irish game (or some of those 2-10 opponents previously mentioned, then ignored), the most even matchup of the evening. A last-second shot, or even OT, might just decide this one.


That's what got my attention for tonight, but if you have any candidates to nominate, feel not merely free, but encouraged. Regardless . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

As I suspected there would be, many of those "2-10" team matchups last night were as tight as one would expect. But who really cares? So, as for those games about which some may actually care:


Notre Dame 73 - U. Conn 70 = Though no one can really consider this an upset, it was definitely a good win for the Irish. The single-possession victory may be a factor of the home court advantage, however, so don't real all that much into it. Both teams have shown that they are better than decent, although both might be a bit over-rated at this point . . . which still remains to be seen.

Ohio State 73 - Iowa 68 = And this is definitely a "bad" win for the Buckeyes. Yeah, I know I flat-out told you this one just might turn into a real battle, which it certainly did. But still, for the supposedly # 2 team in the country to win by 2 possessions over a .500 squad, that ain't so hot.

Pitt 83 - Providence 79 = I still have no idea what the spread was in this game, but I still expect the 4-point margin did cover it. I just had a feeling the Friars would hang tough, partly because they are a fairly decent team, partly because I don't think Pitt's as good as people say.

Minnesota 67 - Indiana 63 = And I found this interesting not so much for the Gopher win as for the fact that, yes indeed, the Hoosiers hung real tough.

West Virginia 67 - DePaul 65 = Like I predicted, this one stayed intense from tip to horn. WVA built a 3-point lead at the half, and held on to 2/3rds of it for the W.


Tonight has an OK selection of games for you to choose from, including:


Duke vs. UAB = First off, Dook is going to lose one of these nights. However, though this may stay close for a while, I don't think that will happen this evening. Secondly, Dook will. or so I understand, actually play a game or two outside of the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stydium before this season is over. However again, that will not happen tonight. Talk about your home cooking! Hey, you think I'm kidding? Aside from that one early season tourney they were in, the Blue Devils have visited only the Ducks so far this year. Well, they DID go to Greensboro to stomp the 0-11 UNC-G squad, but please . . . do you really consider that an "away" game for them. Gimme a break.

Kansas vs. Mo. KC = I shortened the name of the Jayhawks opponent, to match how short this game will be. Hell, it ain't even tipped yet, and it's over already.

Purdue vs. Penn State = Now, this one could be quite a bit closer, but if the Boilermakers can actually make a few shots they will prevail by double-digits before it's done.

UCF vs. Marshall = Really? The UCF Knights are 13-0, and ranked # 19? OK, good for them. Tonight they kick off their conference schedule against an experienced Thundering Herd, so don't be shocked if both of those facts come to a screeching halt.

San Diego State vs. TCU = And this will begin conference play for the 6th-ranked (6th? Are you kiddin' me?) Aztecs also. Although this one's deep in the heart of Texas, I don't expect TCU will end the magic for SDSU . . . yet. But stranger things have happened, especially in conference play, so keep your ears on.

Memphis vs. Tennessee = The Tigers have not played all that well, and have managed to dodge a few slugs to remain amongst the ranked. Meanwhile, the Vols have folded up like a cheap suit (by which I mean clothing, and not a tort or criminal proceeding). Yet I don't think they are as bad as they have played lately, so don't be surprised if they
actually manage to get their act back together, focus, and give their non-conference in-state rival one hell of a fight.

BYU vs. UNLV = As with many other games, this alphabet soup of a matchup kicks off the Mountain West action for these two, who seem to be the only legitimate challenge to the aforementioned Aztecs. I think this should be too close to call.

Charlotte vs. Richmond = The 49ers started off all over the map, going up and down like a teeter-totter team. But of late, they have played much better. The Spiders have been much more consistent, yet are coming off an embarrassing loss to Bucknell. This one should be a lot of fun, start to finish.

Louisville vs. Seton Hall = And this one should be fun too, until about midway through the 2nd. Then the Cardinals will pull away, and leave the Pirates out to sea.

George Mason vs. Hofstra = Two decent teams, one decent game, and one decent run by one or the other will decide it.

Marquette vs. Rutgers = Though this may be a bit closer than the L'ville/SHU game, I'd expect the Golden Eagles to poop on the Scarlet Knights before it's done . . . at least, if they learned anything from watching the Tar Heels defend the paint against them. Rutgers can't hit from outside to save their lives, even if left open.

Mississippi vs. SMU = To be honest, I have no idea what to expect here. Both the Mustangs and the Rebels have pretty good records. However, neither team has really played much of anybody so far. This one could be good, or could stink on ice, either direction.

Tulane vs. Rice = And, with the exception of Rice's close losses at Texas and Miami, much the same could be said here too.

Missouri vs. Northern Alabama = But not here. This is another one you can pencil in now.

Michigan vs. Wisconsin = But not here. Although neither one threatens to become a national contender, you can always expect the fur to fly when you toss a Wolverine in with a Badger.


That's whats I gots today. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

There were very few surprises, and no big shocks, in last night's action, so I will limit myself to only a few scores which, for one or another reason, struck me:



Tennessee 104 - Memphis 84 = A Volunteer victory is no surprise, as they are a better team than their recent play has indicated. A Tiger loss is also no surprise, as this young team has had many "growth" problems this season, and should probably consider themselves lucky that this was just their 3rd loss so far, since they posted several narrow wins. However, the margin of victory far exceeded my expectations.

ODU 49 - Northeastern 34 = And the total amount of scoring here is absolutely atrocious. Look at it this way: Had these two collectively been playing that Memphis team above, they together would still have lost by a point.

Harvard 78 - Boston College 69 = The Crimson have not been receiving nearly the amount of press they did last year, when experts thought they'd make the NCAAs for the first time in . . . what, decades? On the other hand, the Eagles have been getting good reviews, with some going so far as to say that, though they were unlikely to challenge Duke in the ACC, they might just challenge all others. That may still be the case, but this Beantown defeat lends little evidence to that. Yet there are other factors to consider too. First, this makes the third straight meeting where Harvard has "upset" BC. And second, BC's new coach is Steve Donahue, late of Cornell, who was the Ivy opponent that had Harvard's number under his tenure there . . . so the revenge element was undoubtedly sweet.


Tonight's slate of games include:


Villanova vs. South Florida = I would not expect 'Nova will be pushed in this one, though it may remain close for a time.

Illinois vs. Northwestern = And pretty much the same story here. It may not be a blowout, but it should be comfortable late in the game for the Illini.

Cincinnati vs. Xavier = The Bearcats come into this at 14-0, but they have not faced much quality opposition yet. The X-men do not seem to have as good a team as some in their past, but they aren't patsies either. This might actually turn into a fairly decent contest.

Charleston vs. Furman = And here too, we have teams that both can play a little. This could go down to the last few possessions.

Washington vs. Oregon = I have yet to see any indication that Washington is really all that good. I have seen a fair amount of evidence that the Ducks suck. I don't think this one will stay in single digits for long.

Washington State vs. Oregon State = But this Northwest Passage matchup could be an entirely different matter. WSU may be 10-4 overall, as opposed to OSU's 7-6, but in conference play they are respectively 0-2 versus 2-0. The Cougars need a conference victory badly, but the Beavers need a win of any sort to remain above .500. If nothing else, the intensity should be there.

California vs. Arizona = The desert Wildcats have played better than the experts predicted they would, but are coming off a disappointing loss to those aforementioned Beavers. The Golden Bears started off quite well with some early wins, most notably to then # 21 Temple, but have been up-and-down since, yoyoing between Ls and Ws. So give the edge to 'Zona, as we can't depend upon the good Bear squad showing up, as opposed to the bad one.


That's my picks for tonight. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

For what it's worth, here's the scores that jumped out at me from last night:


Villanova 83 - South Florida 71 = As I thought, the Wildcats were not hard-pressed. Yet, as I thought, the Bulls weren't bullied either. All in all, just about what you'd expect.

Charleston 76 - Furman 72 = Again, I felt this would be a good one, and it certainly was.

Arizona 73 - California 71 = Though I cannot say I'm at all surprised at the closeness of this final, I will confess I really have little idea what it truly means, if anything. It is a good win for the Wildcats, but not by any means a dominant performance against the Golden Bears . . . who sometimes play well, and sometimes play like crap.

Boise State 102 - San Jose State 101 (4OT) = That's right, 4OT. So this game turned into a game-and-a-half, and nearly went further than that. Two other interesting notes here. This was the first time the SJS Spartans have scored 100 points since 1979, or a span of 914 games. And, this was the first time the BS Broncos have played an overtime game . . . ever.


There's not one hell of a lot happening tonight, not even the normally-expected Ivy action we're accustomed to seeing on Fridays. In fact, I found only two which jazzed me even a teeny bit:


Cleveland State vs. Butler = The Bulldogs have the name and rep, but the Vikings have the record, at 15-1 overall and 4-0 conference. True, Butler has played a slightly better schedule, but CS hasn't exactly been dogging it either, what with wins over decent teams like South Florida, St. Bonnie's, Wisc. Milwaukee (who beat Butler Monday by 24), and Iona. Speaking of the Gaels . . .

Iona vs. St. Peter's = . . . although neither they nor the Peacocks are world-beaters, they are both at least OK, and are fairly well matched. This one could be some fun.


Now Saturday will be an entirely different matter altogether, with altogether too many games to choose from. I'll get a jump on it now by posting the contests which tip off early (meaning before 2 PM):


Syracuse vs. Seton Hall = Though this is a home game for the Pirates, I can't see any way in hell they can beat the Orange. That's not because I think Syracuse is as great as their record, but rather because the Hall is "meh" on their best nights.

Georgetown vs. West Virginia = And again, though the Hoyas have had their troubles at times, the Mountaineers are about 3/4th the team they've been in recent years. This should be closer than the one above, but unless the Hoyas' inability to score bites them in their big blue butts again, they should prevail.

Michigan State vs. Penn State = The Spartans have had a good season so far, but they were expected to have a great one. That could still happen, and they are likely to school the NotMuch'enly Lions in State College.

Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State = Now here, we just might have us a pretty decent game down in Stillwater. The "other Manhattan" Wildcats have the rep, but they haven't played much of anybody for over a month . . . and when they did (Florida & UNLV), they lost. The Cowboys have a good shot of making a run at them, believe it or not.

North Carolina vs. Virginia = The Tar Heels are still only hitting on about 5 of 8 cylinders, which should be enough to give them the edge in Charlottesville, especially in the paint. But the Cavs are actually decent so far this year, at 10-5 and with wins over Minnesota and Va. Tech, and their guards will hurt you if you don't guard them first. So, all in all, this one could be a toss-up.

Missouri vs. Colorado = Here too, you have to give the Tigers an edge, as they have played better than have the Buffaloes. But again, the Buffs have not been bad themselves, and this game is in Boulder, so the altitude might give the lowlanders some problems before it's all said and done. Keep an eye on the second half, to see if it becomes a factor.

Tennessee vs. Arkansas = The Vols posted a big, and badly needed, win over Memphis Wednesday, but it is not a given that they have righted their ship. As for the 'Backs, they have a good record, but have lost their games against "quality" opponents, and were embarrassed by the Longhorns in their last contest, losing by 33. This one is hard to call because A) We don't know which UT team will show up down in Fayetteville, and B) We don't know what the Razorbacks are, period.

Austin Peay vs. Murray State = And here we have one of those classic mid-major matchups that could, before all is said and done, actually become the best game of the day. Flip a coin on this one.


If I don't make it back here later today, I'll chat on you tomorrow afternoon. Until then then . . . enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Should be at the Austin Peay/Murray State game tomorrow; hope we win!

I see that the NCAA has rejected for the last time the bid for Enes to play for Calipari in Lexington. I didn't expect there to be any change there.

[The Poet]

Should be at the Austin Peay/Murray State game tomorrow; hope we win!

I see that the NCAA has rejected for the last time the bid for Enes to play for Calipari in Lexington. I didn't expect there to be any change there.


Well, that action is already underway, and like all the other early games, it is precisely the war one would expect. Nobody, nowhere, has yet to gain any meaningful edge over their opponent, including that AP/MSU contest.

And yes, I also saw the NCAA has rejected UK's additional appeal regarding the statue of Enes Kanter. So now those "Free Enes' pleas have truly been appeased, as he is now free to sit in the stands and await the NBA Draft. As wise men have noted, be careful what you wish for.


Last night neither of those games I picked to have potential became thus, as both Butler and Iona dominated their respective opponents. But two other games were actually pretty exciting:

Canisius 62 - Siena 61 = Though these two schools have both had better teams, and better records in past years, they did give us some fun here.

Creighton 72 - Southern Illinois 66 (OT) = And you could say the precise same thing here.


While we await some resolution in the early games, let me select some that will follow later today. And I use the term "select some" judiciously, because there are so many good possibilities I could not cite them all . . . thus the length of my "short list", to whit:


Pitt vs. Marquette = Though one would be smart to pick Pitt, don't expect Marquette to get spanked. In fact, they even have a shot at winning this one. Don't bet on it, but don't bet the farm on the Panthers either.

SMU vs. Tulane = And though this one won't be played on the same level, it has the potential to be a close contest.

George Mason vs. ODU = Ditto.

Baylor vs. Texas Tech = The Bears have shown some weaknesses lately, yet still should have enough to beat TT . . . maybe not by much, but a win's a win.

California vs. Arizona State = Even if this wasn't a conference game, it would be a toss-up. Neither team has dominant talent, but both are smart and well-coached.

Wake Forest vs. N.C. State = And even if this wasn't both a conference game and one between in-state rivals, the intensity would be there. The Deaks have enough pride to wish to avoid their predicted slot in the ACC basement, and the 'Pack is trying to take a step up in the world . . . and save Sidney Lowe's job. Expect a war, with State edging it out.

BYU vs. Air Force = I have said before I don't consider the Cougars to truly be amongst the country's elite. That being said . . . again . . . I don't think the Falcons have enough to stop them here.

Florida State vs. Virginia Tech = Here is another vital early conference game. Neither squad is likely to challenge Duke in the ACC, but both want to end the season with enough wins for a bid to the NCAAs.

U. Conn vs. Texas = This might be the marquee matchup of the day, and I can't tell you who to pick here. I'm leaning a bit towards the Longhorns, but they have the habit of collapsing under pressure in big games. On the other hand, the Huskies have had surprisingly great success so far, yet I feel they have over-achieved and may be approaching the limits of their good fortune. I guess this is why they actually play the games.

Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma = And I have a similar "U. Conn-ish" feeling about A&M, which is why I give the Sooners a chance of pulling off the upset here. Hey, it is in Norman.

Memphis vs. East Carolina = The Tigers were just humbled by the Vols, so should come into this one with renewed focus. But a young team sometimes goes in the other direction after a spanking, so give the Pirates a shot, albeit a slim one, of keeping this close for a while.

San Diego State vs. Utah = Though the Aztecs may be little better than contenders in several other leagues, they do seem to be the class of the Mountain West. So, whether they are Runnin' or not, the Utes ain't got more than a prayer here.

Alabama vs. Mississippi State = And again we have one of those key conference games between programs who are "also-rans" in their league. Both need every win they can garner, and we can expect they know that well enough to give us a good one here.

Georgia Tech vs. Boston College = Didn't I just tell you? Are you paying any attention at all? Why do I even bother?

Charlotte vs. St. Bonaventure = Must I keep repeating myself? Sheesh, wake up already!

Kentucky vs. Georgia = With or without Enes Kanter, UK has better talent than do the Bulldogs. But the 'Dawgs ain't dogs themselves, and they are totally capable of giving the Wildcats a game here. Could be a lot closer than Cal would like.

Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina = The Comms have a better team too, but the 'Cocks are always up. ;) Besides, they need the W more. I won't say that they will win down in Columbia, but I will say that, if they do, I won't consider it to be a big upset.

UCF vs. Houston = UCF is ranked # 19 in the AP poll, and # 13 in the decidedly odd RPI rating. That same RPI poll gives their Strength of Schedule rating at 107th. So, if they haven't played anybody, how can you expect me to predict how they will play? Hey, I'm not calling for the Cougars to knock off the Knights . . . I'm just saying this whole hype about Disney University is pretty Mickey Mouse.

Miami vs. Clemson = Hey, guess what? We're back to those important conference games again. And again, as neither team is all that much better, or worse, than the other, you can expect a close and hard-fought war.

LSU vs. Auburn = Ibid.

Washington vs. Oregon State = Ditto.

Stanford vs. Arizona = Op. cit.

Ole Miss vs. Florida = Etc.

Providence vs. Rutgers = USW

St. John's vs. Notre Dame = OK, slightly different, as the Irish are perceived as being the superior team. But the Red Storm has played pretty well so far, and might just have a few surprises for those leprechauns.

Iowa State vs. Nebraska = No surprises here, just another tight fight.

Portland vs. Gonzaga = Yep.

UNLV vs. TCU = Maybe a three-possession edge for the Casino Runs, but not much more.

Oregon vs. Washington State = And maybe that for the Cougars too, but more because the Ducks are merely waddling through their schedule.


I might pick a dozen or three more, but that should be enough. I'll be back later with some early results, and a preview of Sunday's action. Until then, enjoy.

[The Poet]

Well, Joe, that Austin Peay/Murray State game is finally over, and I'm sorry to say your Racers came up juuuust short, losing 66-64. The fell behind by 10 at the half, but made a game of it . . . as we both figured they would.

Some other early finals:

West Virginia 65 - Georgetown 59 = I told you that the Hoyas should prevail, if they could manage to shoot. They did shoot pretty well, at .500 from the field and better than .900 from the line. But they turned the ball over 18 times, as opposed to WVA's 13. That still doesn't fully explain this loss, yet I'm gonna grap aholt of any excuse. A great win for the Mountaineers, who really needed one.

North Carolina 62 - Virginia 56 = Unlike the Hoyas though, the Tar Heels shot like crap. With .370 from the field and a "meh" .700 from the stripe, they should consider themselves fortunate that some of those FTs came late to give them the narrow victory . . . since this one was a LOT closer than the 6-point edge indicates.

Syracuse 61 - Seton Hall 56 = The Orange keep rolling, but this one's not all that juicy. True, the Pirates have lost a few close ones to good squads, but in their prior two they were duly spanked by Cincy and Louisville. There is no good reason the supposedly # 4 team in the land should edge them like this, so I must class this as one of those "bad" wins for the 'Cuse.


I'm gonna do my lunch now, and come back with my Sunday picks. Later, dudes.

[The Poet]

Wow, it's starting to look like this is going to turn into one of those "Upset Weekends" we sometimes see in college hoops. Aside from that Georgetown loss, we already have:

Penn State 66 - Michigan State 62 = How in the high holy hell could the Spartans lose to Penn State? Whereas their previous four losses only dropped them from # 2 to # 18 (while my Tar Heels' four dropped them from # 8 to the point where they barely even get a handful of votes, period), this one should drop them out of the rankings altogether. I say "should", as so far none of the experts have seem to be all that concerned about the quality . . . or lack of . . . MSU's play.

Oklahoma State 76 - Kansas State 62 = And this one almost equates as a spanking, and over another team that's been ranked as high as (I believe) # 3. After this, the Manhattanites will be lucky to stay in the ranked at all.


Meanwhile, Colorado appears to have a safe lead over Missouri, and Arkansas a 6-point one over Tennessee with under 2 to play. If these hold up, that makes five upsets, and the weekend's barely started!


Speaking of the weekend, the notable games of Sunday include:


Villanova vs. Cincinnati = This one could go either way, so I don't feel this would be an upset no matter what happens, despite 'Nova's lofty rank.

Purdue vs. Iowa = And though I think the Boilermakers will win, I would not be shocked it the Hawkeyes take aim at them.

Louisville vs. South Florida = The Bulls have played a tough schedule, and it seems to be wearing on them. They have lost 5 in a row, and I expect that will soon become 6.

Ohio State vs. Minnesota = On the other hand, the Buckeyes have not tested themselves all that much. You doubt me? That's fine. But nota bene, that aforementioned RPI Strength Of Schedule puts them at 151st, which means nearly half the D-1 teams in the country have played a harder schedule than OSU. Not only will this game change that SOS, it might just be their first loss too. I would not bet on it, but stranger things have happened . . . today.

Cleveland State vs. Valparaiso = Though you BCS-type fans may not care much, this one should be tons of fun.

Illinois State vs. Southern Illinois = Here too.

Kansas vs. Michigan = The Jayhawks have played very well, though not unbeatable ball by any means. The Wolverines have had their moments, but far too few. I'd expect it to stay close for a time, but for KU to open it up in the 2nd.

Xavier vs. Rhode Island = Both these teams want some quality wins to earn at least a shot at an at-large bid, if they cannot take their conference. Plan on this one being tight.

Duke vs. Maryland = In Cameron, of course, as the Blue Devils apparently decided to begin their quest for a repeat by heavily front-loading their schedule with home games. This might bite them in their wide blue butts before the season's done, but for now you can figure they will handle the Terps on their own turf.

Indiana vs. Northwestern = And here's another of those "also-ran" conference games which is vital for both teams. Here it could go down to the last few shots.

Missouri State vs. Wichita State = These are 2 other pretty decent teams, and they will scrap for a victory.

UCLA vs. USC = And this Battle of Los Angeles is just one more of those numerous important conference games for two pretenders to the throne.


Meanwhile, as I was typing all that, those two other upsets went final:


Colorado 89 - Missouri 76 = A great win for the Buffaloes, and that's no bull.

Arkansas 68 - Tennessee 65 = The Vols made an effort to pull this one out of their butts late, but fell just shy. And despite the bipolar nature of UT's season, this is still a good win for the Razorbacks.


See you come Monday, and we'll see what other surprises occur. Until then . . . enjoy.

[jcruse64]

A few high seeds taking it in the shorts yesterday.

Murray State/Austin Peay game: Kennedy still showing he has difficulty with teams that zone his guys. They did a good job of coming back from 13 or 14 down, but seemed to let off the gas a bit. Then...The Call. MSU guy gets the ball going back with a Peay guy on him, and twists away. Ref whistles, then says nothing else. After a minute of confusion, it a full T/O. Refs stand around during T/O, then when MSU is just about to inbounds the ball, another whistle, and the refs are going to the sidelines to review something. 10 minutes later, the refs go to the scorer table and then to the TV color guys to ask their opinion on something. 5 minutes later, they call a flagrant foul on the kid who twisted away from his incoming defender. Replay showed no contact, but still a foul. And it took 15 minutes to figure this out after a T/O called for a no-foul whistle?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I've seen some weird, bad calls in college ball, but nothing ever like this one. Didn't cost MSU the game, but didn't help either. VERY weird sequence of events, and one of the most flagrant ref flubs I've ever seen.

[The Poet]

A few high seeds taking it in the shorts yesterday.

Then...The Call. . . . VERY weird sequence of events, and one of the most flagrant ref flubs I've ever seen.

Yes indeed they did, Joe. One of those odd weekends. And speaking of odd, I did not see that Call against your Racers, but if it transpired as you relate (and I have no reason whatsoever to doubt you), it was one total stupid clusterfark, and true dat.

Back with the Weekend Update ASAP.

[The Poet]

As already noted, it was a weekend for upsets and near-upsets, from start to finish. Not counting those results previously posted, we had during the balance of Saturday:


Georgia 77 - Kentucky 70 = I previewed this by saying the 'Dawgs weren't, and that it could be closer than Calipari wanted. Well, that was most certainly true. And although I did give Georgia a chance, we still must consider this a true upset.

Houston 76 - UCF 71 = But not necessarily this one. Though I admitted that I . . . nor no one else for that matter . . . knew who the Knights really are, as they've not actually played anyone yet, I did for at least the second time on this thread call them "Mickey Mouse". So count this as a decent win for the Houston Cougars, yet not one which makes their season.

South Carolina 83 - Vanderbilt 75 (OT) = Nor this one either. In fact, I flat-out said I would not consider it an upset if the 'Cocks took it to the Comms. So, I won't. However, as the "experts" do, we'll count it as one more.

Pitt 89 - Marquette 81 = And here's the first of those "near upsets" which occurred. But once again, maybe not. I told you Marquette could make this one close, and they did.

Memphis 61 - East Carolina 58 = However, there's no doubt on this one. The Tigers have the talent to run the Pirates out of the gym, and though I felt EeeZeeTeeCee could keep it respectable for a time, I never thought it would be a 1-possession decision by the end. Give the Pirates props, and the Tigers :sl.

U. Conn 82 - Texas 81 (OT) = This one would not have been an upset, no matter the outcome. I could not, so did not, pick either squad here (albeit a slight leaning that ultimately went the wrong way), and that was a wiser decision than most of those I make. It's a good, and hard-fought, victory for the Huskies, and a disappointing, though far from shameful, loss for the 'Horns.

BYU 76 - Air Force 66 = Although I figured that the over-rated Cougars would down the Falcons, I never thought the Academy boys could stay this close. One would be pressed to consider this a "near upset", yet it does perhaps offer some evidence to support my lack of respect for BYU's ultimate chances in the national race.

Florida 77 - Mississippi 71 = And although one might make a stronger case about this being a "near upset", I myself have seen too much inconsistent play from the Gators to give them all that much credit either. And although I did lump this game in with a handful of all-important conference games which could go either way, I still believe the Gators possess more talent than the Rebels, and should perhaps have won more handily.

Rutgers 85 - Providence 72 = Since both teams are, at best, mid-pack Big Mouth teams, and both came into this one on 3-game losing streaks, I still find it a bit of a shock that the Scarlet Knights managed such a "decisive" victory over a Friars team that has, at times, played quite well. Does any of that make any sense at all, or sound like so much specious obfuscation?

St. Bonaventure 92 - Charlotte 88 (3OT) = This was by far the closest of the group of vital conference matchups I listed, and was as good a win for the Bonnies as it was a heartbreaker for the 49ers.

ODU 69 - George Mason 65 = Here too.

Clemson 79 - Miami 72 = Here three.

California 65 - Arizona State 61 = Here four.

LSU 62 - Auburn 55 = Here, not so much, as both these teams are pretty crappy, so it won't make any difference in the end.


On Sunday the Madness continued, or at least tried to anyway:


Duke 71 - Maryland 64 = Not to show any lack of respect to the Terps, as they do have a pretty good team, but one would tend to believe that the unanimous # 1 team in the nation could possibly manage a teeny bit more than a 7-point victory on their own damn court, would one not? Hey, these conference games are no laughing matter. If you don't believe me, just ask . . .

Ohio State 67 - Minnesota 64 = The Buckeyes finally actually decided to play a real game against a real opponent, and damn near got a real loss for their audacity of facing anyone except another cupcake. And so, for those who think the Blue Devils exhibited a lack of dominance, consider this one, or even . . .

Kansas 67 - Michigan 60 (OT) = I watched a good portion of this game, but in the end I had to switch it off. Both teams played like crap. One might expect that from the youthful Wolverines, but the Jayhawks have pretensions of greatness. Well, of what I saw, that is precisely what they are . . . pretenders. Had UM been able to hit almost ANYTHING from outside 15 feet, they would have plucked the Prairie Fowls.

Arizona 67 - Stanford 57 = This game is at least as significant for the fact that it was postponed due to the tragedy in Tucson as to any consequence of the game itself. A good win for the Wildcats, after a horrible day for the state of Arizona, and for the nation as a whole.

Villanova 72 - Cincinnati 61 = Meanwhile, the Philly Wildcats hand the Bearcats their first loss of the season . . . though it could easily be argued that this was actually Cincy's first GAME of the season, as their previous list of victims were far from the highest water. Well, the floodgates are opened now, so expect the Ls to start piling up.

Butler 84 - Youngstown State 79 = This was a better game than I thought it might be . . . which doesn't say much of anything, I know, but still . . . .

Creighton 74 - Evansville 69 = Ditto.

Miami OH 92 - Ohio U 88 (3OT) = Dit-three, as in 3 OT.

Valparaiso 64 - Cleveland State 58 = But here, I pretty much figured it would be fun.

USC 63 - UCLA 52 = Not as good a game as I had hoped, but in the long run it likely won't mean all that much to either team, as neither one scares anybody.

Missouri State 59 - Wichita State 56 = However, I hoped for a scrappy game in this one, and I got what I wanted.


There's not a lot of action tonight, once you toss out all those game which are either mismatches, and likely blowouts, or contests between teams where both of them suck. So I have only two for you to TiVo:

Notre Dame vs. Marquette = Here is one that should go down to whoever makes the key plays in the final 2 minutes.

Jacksonville vs. Belmont = And if that game above turns into a laffer, either way, check out this one with some possibilities.


I'm starting to get blisters here, so I'll leave you with . . . enjoy.

[SD Beerman]

It was a great weekend of Basketball, upsets are always fun....Lot's of OT as well. Go Aztecs!:noon

[The Poet]

It was a great weekend of Basketball, upsets are always fun....Lot's of OT as well. Go Aztecs!:noon


Yes, upsets are always fun . . . unless it's your guys getting upset. :D

And yes, so far so good for your Aztecs. I guess they could be the Butler or George Mason of 2011, though I'd really like to see them actually play somebody before March. However, I don't see a whole lot of quality opposition on their schedule . . . good teams, OK yeah, but not any truly great ones. They could be in for a rude awakening once they have to face a squad from a power conference, in their second or third game of the NCAAs. We'll see.

Update to follow.

[The Poet]

Sadly, that Belmont/Jacksonville game didn't turn out to be so hot after all, with the Bruins slapping the Dolphins around like they were spawning salmon, 81-50. Hey, Belmont has a danged good team, don't kid yourselves . . . especially when they play someone from out of state. Of their 3 losses to date, 2 were to Tennessee, and the 3rd to Vandy. Go figure.

However, we can take some consolation in the fact that the upsets keep on coming:


Marquette 79 - Notre Dame 57 = Well, so maybe this is not such a big upset as the "experts" would lead you to believe. I myself said it would be tight . . . but it wasn't. Stupid me. I failed to notice that, when the Irish lose, they lose big and not small. Their other 2 losses so far were to Kentucky (72-58) and Syracuse (70-58). Odd ain't it, how similar those outcomes are.


Unlike last night, there are a fair number of important games this evening. Many of them involve the same team that got knocked off over the weekend, and thus gives them the opportunity to bounce back . . . or not. For instance:


Kentucky vs. Auburn = I was not all that surprised that Georgia tamed the Wildcats Saturday. I will be totally flummoxed if the Tigers even show up for this game in Rupp.

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State = On the other hand, I was totally flummoxed that the Nittany Lions beat the Spartans, and I don't care if the game was played in Joe Paterno's basement . . . there's no excuse for it. MSU has the talent to beat the Badgers, but I'm beginning to doubt if they have the will. Therefore I am extremely interested to see what happens here, in what should, all things being equal, be a pick 'em at best.

Texas vs. Texas Tech = And though you cannot call the Longhorns' loss to U. Conn an upset, it still should focus them for this in-state rival . . . which is not good news for the struggling Red Raiders. And speaking of U. Conn . . .

U. Conn vs. Rutgers = The Scarlet Knights got their first conference win Saturday, but with this one against the Huskies being followed by the Hoyas, it might be a while before they get their 2nd one. I would plan on tuning this one out at the half.

BYU vs. Utah = And pretty much the same thing here. Though I don't much like the Cougars, I can't see the Utes runnin' out of anything but time . . . despite their decent showing against Larry's Aztecs in their last game.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma = Although the Bears have been stumbling a bit recently, they should have enough to handle the Sooners.

Illinois vs. Penn State = Before Saturday, I would have said there was no damn way the Illini could lose to PSU. But Illinois has not exactly been lights-out, and if the Lions can take Michigan State on their floor, they can take this one too. Were I a betting man, I most definitely would NOT bet that however. Penn State got a great win Saturday, and strike me as a team that will still be celebrating that, and figure their season's already made. Expect a spanking here.

Florida vs. Tennessee = And here we have a game between two teams that have oscillated between wonderful to woeful. Flip a coin . . . Gators or Vols.

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson = The Jackets have been a bit better than was expected, and the Tigers have been . . . well, the Tigers. Can I borrow that coin again?

N.C. State vs. Boston College = Earlier in the year I would have picked the Eagles by three or four possessions. But they have been iffy of late, and the Wolfpack is on a bit of a roll . . . against pretty crappy teams, that's true, yet momentum is still momentum. This one just might go down to the final few shots.


That's what I see tonight. Pick your own personal poison, and enjoy.

[The Poet]

I can't say there were many surprises last night, except for:


Penn State 57 - Illinois 55 = I never thought the Nittany Lions could get two big upsets in a row. They are not assured of making a run at the Big Ten, but they sure are making some noise . . . and one heck of a mess. Good for them.

U. Conn 67 - Rutgers 53 = OK, so maybe this is a mild surprise, as I figured the Huskies would win by 24 . . . or 34 . . . and not merely 14.

Michigan State 64 - Wisconsin 61 (OT) = But this was no shock at all. This seemed like a pick 'em from the start, and both wanted a win. Both tried hard for it, and the Spartans pulled it off. Were the game against anybody but the Badgers, I'd say the score was too low, yet they are nothing if not masters of limiting possessions.

Florida 81 - Tennessee 75 (OT) = This is more like what the score of a "big conference" OT game should be, and as it was another of those toss-ups, the outcome should have been expected, even if the victor could not be predicted. A good one for the Gators, and another strike against the Pearless Vols.

Baylor 74 - Oklahoma 61 = The Bears took care of business. 'Nuff said.

Boston College 75 - N.C. State 66 = Maybe I should have stuck with my feeling about the Eagles by 3 or 4 possessions. As for the 'Pack, they have again shown they haven't figured out who they are.


There's a lot more action tonight, and so I must limit myself to those games which might actually mean something, or at least might actually be competitive:


Ohio State vs. Michigan = The Wolverines played the Jayhawks tough on Sunday, and only needed one shot or one stop for a huge victory. However, from what I saw, this was more a factor of KU playing poorly than it was of Michigan playing well. Though the confidence their young players gained may keep them close for a time, I expect the Buckeyes to open it up big.

Cincinnati vs. South Florida = The Bulls began this year well enough, but have collapsed of late, losing 6 in a row. Let's figure on that becoming 7 before the night is done.

U. Mass vs. Xavier = But this could be a barn-burner. These A-10 teams have identical 9-5 and 1-0 records, so they will both be focused on the win.

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson = This one was postponed from last night. I have the feeling the Ramblin' Wreck might just wish they could postpone if forever. But who knows? If I've learned anything about the Tigers over the years, it is that they tend to crumble, sooner or later.

Missouri vs. Nebraska = And these Tigers are coming off their upset loss to the Buffaloes, so although the Cornhuskers have a gaudy 13-2 record (against mainly a bunch of nobodies), you can plan on Missou turning it around quickly. But then again, with what we've seen the last few days, who knows?

Syracuse vs. St. John's = The Orange have remained unbeaten despite dodging a few bullets, including their last close win against a pitiful Seton Hall team. And St. John's has been playing better than they have in several decades. This one is in MSG, which won't mean a whole heck of a lot, as the "home court" will depend on whose fans show up. That should be a toss-up, and if the Red Storm can hit some shots over the Orange zone the game might be one also. Me, I figure SU over SJ by 3 possessions.

Villanova vs. Louisville = Here is another huge Big Mouth Conference game which could go either way. In fact, were it in the new Crum Bucket Arena instead of down in Philly, I might give an edge to the Cardinals. They still could win, but I'll go with the Cheesesteaks by a handful.

Pitt vs. Georgetown = And here's another one. The Hoyas have lost 3 or their last 4, and despite their high ranking are 1-3 in conference play. the Panthers are 3-0, and ranked much higher, but their prior two Ws (as well as earlier ones over Rhode Island, Maryland, and Texas) were pretty danged close. Though both teams want the victory, Georgetown needs is much more, and their home crowd just might get it for them. I would not bet on that, however.

Temple vs. St. Bonaventure = And though the Owls have gotten more respect, do NOT dismiss the Bonnies. I don't believe they will win, but they are capable of giving Temple as much as they want.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt = On the one side, the Bulldogs are coming off a huge win over Kentucky in one of those weekend upsets we saw. On the other, Vandy was victim to one of them, losing to the Gamecocks. This one is interesting if only to see which happens . . . if the 'Dawgs can build on their victory, or if the Comms can recover. It is in Nashville, but Vandy's edge won't be as high as is their court.

Memphis vs. SMU = The Memphis Tigers have had the consistency of lumpy gravy, sometimes playing well and sometimes not playing at all. And SMU has played . . . well, nobody. If UM does not win by 20, they need to call off classes while they practice 24/7. And knowing what I do of Memphis academics, that should not be an issue. :r

Maryland vs. Wake Forest = And if the Terps haven't buried the Deacs by halftime, Gary Williams will have a fit of apoplexy right there on the bench.

Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State = The Oak State Cowboys got one of those huge wins by beating K-State Saturday, and I see no reason why they cannot give the Aggies all they want also. Figure on a tight one here.

Arkansas vs. LSU = The Razorbacks also got one of those upsets, though as it was over the bipolar Tennessee Volunteers it is hard to say exactly what that means. Regardless, LSU has already lost to such powerhouses as Nicholls State, Coastal Carolina, North Texas, Rice, and Virginia. Yeah, it may be down in Baton Rouge, but don't figure the Tigers will turn their season around tonight.

UTEP vs. Tulane = In the classroom, this one's not even close. But on the hardwood, they are fairly evenly matched. I think this one may be a lot of fun.

Wichita State vs. Creighton = And I will be surprised if this one is NOT a lot of fun. Both teams are decent, and both programs have good histories.

Kansas vs. Iowa State = Maybe they just had a bad game . . . hey, it happens . . . but to be honest I did not see much from the Jayhawks against the Wolverines on Sunday. Their offense was ragged, and their defense seemed to be effective mainly because Michigan couldn't hit the broadside of a barn were they inside of it. If that game is any true indication, KU will go down some time soon. Give the Cyclones a slim chance at that, but a chance nonetheless.

Colorado vs. Kansas State = Like that Georgia/Vandy game above, we have two teams coming from opposite poles here. The Buffaloes got a great win over Missou, while the Wildcats dropped one to Oak State. And like that other game, the interest here lies in which way they both will go from here. Let's just hope it is a good game.

Duke vs. Florida State = Hey, something's wrong here! This game is in Tallahassee, not in Durham! Can that be right? Dook actually plays road games too? What DO you know! Color me shocked. But you, don't you be shocked if the Semiholes manage to give the Blue Devils a pretty good game here. I don't think they will win, but they may give K some anxious moments late.

South Carolina vs. Alabama = No doubt the 'Cocks are up after their win over Vanderbilt. Furthermore, their only "bad" loss so far has been to Furman, and the Paladins are not a garbage team. Now the Tide, that's some garbage for you. Sure, they could win in Tuscaloosa. They COULD . . . but they won't.

San Diego State vs. UNLV = And here is one of those game that I (and the Beerman) have been waiting for. The Aztecs entered this season at the bottom of the national rankings, and have inched their way up to an amazing # 6. There are only a few potential stumbling blocks between them and an undefeated regular season. Here's one of them. The Runnin' Rebels are not the vintage Shark-fed monsters of the past, but they are not totally without talent of their own. I know there are two people here who will be keeping an eye on this one. Maybe you should too.

Colorado State vs. New Mexico = And if either one or both of those teams, as well as BYU, stumble in the Mountain West, here are two more who could make a run at it. Yet to do so, they both need the victory tonight. As that is highly unlikely, you can figure this one will be a war.


I may be back today, I may not. In either case . . . enjoy.

[Parshooter]

HA, Puke goes down. I'm one of the millions of haters and proud of it. Not that it matters at this point in the season, but that should put the Buckeyes as #1.

[The Poet]

HA, Puke goes down. I'm one of the millions of haters and proud of it. Not that it matters at this point in the season, but that should put the Buckeyes as #1.

And though I hadn't the stones to call for the upset, I knew the Semiholes had a chance. Dook has been very good, but not dominant. But neither have your Buckeyes. Yeah, they deserve to hit # 1, yet as you imply the key will be staying there.

And though I'm a proud Tar Heel, I do not number myself amongst "the millions of haters" of the Blue Devils, and I am equally proud of that. I learned my hoops etiquette and sportsmanship from Dean Smith, and he would tolerate none of that.

Update to follow ASAP.

[The Poet]

For those of you who were lost by Marc's remarks, and my opine:


Florida State 66 - Duke 61 = The so-called "experts" had recently begun to express the thought that the Blue Devils would make it through the ACC season undefeated. Yeah, right . . . like that was gonna happen. This was their first, and may not be their last either. However, although it does open the door a tiny crack for a conference opponent to slip past them, I would not count on that happening.

Ohio State 68 - Michigan 64 = And here's some evidence to support the supposition that the Buckeyes will also stumble at some point. Although the Wolverines have played considerably better that expected, they are not the main opposition to OSU in the Big Ten. If the Buckeyes can just barely slip past UM, what does that foreshadow when they face the likes of Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin, or Minnesota again . . . who they also just edged by 3, on their home court no less.

Kansas 84 - Iowa State 79 = As I said already, I was not impressed by the Jayhawks when they faced those Wolverines above. Here again, they only got past the Cyclones by a couple of buckets. Not a very good sign.

Colorado 74 - Kansas State 66 = The Buffaloes follow up their win over Missou with another big one. Meanwhile, the Wildcats continue their collapse. Hey, if you have the time and the inclination, go back to the first page of this thread, where I told you K-State was more pretender than contender. Not blowing my own horn, just arguing that I'm not nearly as stupid as I look. Hell, I couldn't hardly be.

SMU 64 - Memphis 58 = Speaking of collapses, the Tigers go down again. The difference here is, there's no damn excuse for this one. The Mustangs came into this one with a 9-6 record, and none of their games, be they wins or losses, could have been called "good" because they really hadn't played anybody worth a fryin' fish. It's time to consider the possibility that Memphis ain't either.

Vanderbilt 73 - Georgia 66 = The Bulldogs got a great win Saturday to move them into the Top 25. The Commodores bounced back from their upset loss, and bounced Georgia right back out of the rankings again. So it goes.

Cincinnati 74 - South Florida 66 = I figured the Bulls would drop another game here. I did not figure the Bearcats would seemingly have so much trouble with them. Mark this down as a good showing for South Florida, and a pretty poor one for Cincy.

San Diego State 55 - UNLV 49 = And although the Aztecs remain unbeaten, this one should not boost their confidence any. It was an ugly victory in an ugly game (6 technical fouls were called) on their own floor. OK, so the beat goes on, ugly or not, but still . . . .


Tonight has another full slate of action, but as has happened before many of them involve losing programs head-to-head. These may be competitive, but do they really matter? Of those remaining one, which may matter at some point:


Rhode Island vs. Richmond = The Rams and the Spiders both have good teams, and both need any win they can get to help win a possible at-large come March. Expect a war here.

Purdue vs. Minnesota = The Boilermakers have actually started to score a little bit, and the Gophers are distracted by off-the-court problems (or perhaps "in-court", depending on your point of view). Still, though I give PU the edge, I think it will remain close throughout.

Providence vs. West Virginia = And this one should be fun too. If you're putting a few bucks down, lay it on the Mountaineers . . . but make sure it's only a few.

ODU vs. Drexel = Just like that Ram/Spider game, here's one both teams will want. They are well matched, and should give us a great contest.

Belmont vs. Lipscomp = And this Battle of Nashville is a key one in the Atlantic Sun. And since there's only so many "at-large bids" available, it just might be even bigger.

North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech = And although the ACC normally does not have to worry about getting their fair share of bids, there's still not an unlimited number, as the Heels found out last year. Those Heels took a step backwards Saturday in Charlottesville, having one of those scoring droughts which doomed them so often in 2010. As for the Hokies have had some injuries and illness of late, and have to compete in the Dean Dome to boot. Carolina should be favored by 2 or 3 possessions, but they'd better show up ready to play.

Washington vs. Stanford = And this one's down in NoCal, yet the Huskies should still be favored too. But the Cardinal is at least a decent team, so can give UW a game. The X-factor may be the off-court distractions facing the Huskies, what with reports about police investigations against players for some serious offenses. If Lorenzo Romar and his boys don't have other things on their minds . . . well, perhaps they ought to.


That's gonna be it for now. Enjoy.

[staminator]

# 10 Syracuse: Last year the Orange began the season off of everyone's radar, and ended up near the top of the heap. This year they start off getting a fair amount of respect, and are thus set up to disappoint their fans. Don't misunderstand . . . Boeheim has some players, and his zone will always win a few games he maybe should not win. But it always loses him a few too. Also, he's not going to sneak up on any of the "haves" this year, and some of the Big East "have-nots" are improved.

Being from Syracuse and employed part time at the University, this is where my allegiances lie. I think SU really has a chance of making it to the top this year. We just need to improve on ball handling (read: less turnovers). UNDEFEATED THUS FAR! :rolleyes:

[Parshooter]

I highly doubt any team will go undefeated this year. As long as the Bucks are in the top 4 at tourney time, and get a #1 seed, that's all that matters, to that point.

[The Poet]

Being from Syracuse and employed part time at the University, this is where my allegiances lie. I think SU really has a chance of making it to the top this year. We just need to improve on ball handling (read: less turnovers). UNDEFEATED THUS FAR! :rolleyes:

Yes indeed they are. And if they can get through the next few weeks, against Cincy, Pitt, 'Nova, an improved Seton Hall and Marquette, then U. Conn, you might actually have a valid point. :r


I highly doubt any team will go undefeated this year. As long as the Bucks are in the top 4 at tourney time, and get a #1 seed, that's all that matters, to that point.

And I also can't see any team going without a loss (well, maybe San Diego State in the regular season, but not through April). But I've also come to the realization that a #1 seed means little after the first weekend. Just look at last year as an example. Bragging rights does not win games in March. That's my :2 , and worth every penny.

Update to follow.

[The Poet]

There were a few notable scores last night, including:


Minnesota 70 - Purdue 67 = Though this can be classed an upset, it does not qualify as a shock. The Gophers have played very well at time, and the Boilermakers have too often struggled to score. Against a team as deliberate on offense as Minnesota, with limited possessions available, this problem can be compounded. And so it was last evening. A good win for the distracted Gophers, in a tough spot against a tough conference foe.

Stanford 58 - Washington 56 = However, the Huskies could not overcome their off-court distractions, and dropped an important Pac-10 game against a Cardinal team which is decent, but supposedly not on the same level as Washington. This win might not make Stanford's season, but it just might spell the beginning of the end for the Huskies.

Oregon 68 - USC 62 = And speaking of distractions, the story here are the "on-court" distractions of the Ducks' new $230 million arena. Reportedly the reflections from the floor gave viewers headaches, and the players could not see the midcourt or three-point lines worth a doodly. So give the Ducks one point for the victory, and take two away for causing epileptic seizures all over the Northwest.

California 88 - Washington State 81 (OT) = Over the long haul, I expect this outcome will prove to mean little, but give both teams credit for an entertaining show.

Drexel 62 - ODU 57 = But as I said yesterday, this one was important for both teams. In this particular fairy tale, the Dragons top the Monarchs in a hard-fought battle.

Rhode Island 78 - Richmond 74 = And, as I said yesterday, this one was the same story . . . and the same sort of tight fight. A good win for the Rams, and a disappointing loss for the Spiders.

North Carolina 64 - Virginia Tech 61 = Not a great win for the Tar Heels, but better than a bad loss at home. Like too often last year, and like their previous game against UVA, UNC fell behind big (by 16 last night) and needed to fight back for the late lead. Unlike last year, they actually did so. Two positive signs, however, aside from the outcome. First, much-hyped then much-maligned freshman Harrison Barnes scored 8 of his 12 points in the final 3 1/2 minutes to help secure the victory. Second, another freshman Kendall Marshall garnered 9 assists. Not impressed? Well, 9 assists in a game where you scarcely break 60 is a monstrous effort, if you ask me.


Tonight has very few games on the slate, and only three of them interest me in the least:


Valparaiso vs. Wright State = These two are pretty evenly matched, and should give us a close contest right up until the end.

Iona vs. Rider = Same thing here.

Butler vs. Detroit = The profiles of these programs may be slightly higher than the previous ones, but my point is the same. I see a good game here, start to finish.


Now this weekend we have far too many games scheduled to give proper coverage to them all. I'll get a jump on the bigger ones now by giving you some which tip off early on Saturday:


Louisville vs. Marquette = Though the Cardinals have been getting better press, I see this as a pick 'em. The Golden Eagles may not win, but on any given day they can beat anybody.

Temple vs. Duquesne = And it's about the same story here. Well, OK, so the Dukes can't beat anybody (like Duke, f'instance), but they can beat the Owls. I don't think they will, but I don't think they'll be embarrassed either. Might actually be pretty tight.

Syracuse vs. Cincinnati = The Orange try to keep their streak alive, but it won't be easy, even in their Dome. The Bearcats have only lost one themselves, to Villanova, and if they can hit some shots over Boeheim's zone they can make a real battle of this one.

Georgetown vs. Rutgers = And the Hoyas need to do something now to turn their season around. All things being equal, I would not give the Scarlet Knights a snowball's chance, yet since Georgetown's not shown me much lately, who knows? Bet the Hoyas, but don't give too many points.

Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee = And here both teams have been up, then down, then up, then down. Though it would surprise me if both teams lost, it would not if neither actually tried to win. This one I'm curious about, just for that reason alone . . . not "which team will show up?", but "will one show up at all?"

Marshall vs. Memphis = The Memphis Tigers makes a third "name" team from the Volunteer State that has yo-yo'ed all over the place. Don't be surprised at all if the Thundering Herd tramples all over them.

Villanova vs. Maryland = 'Nova has only one loss so far, and I would not expect they will drop this one on their home court. However, the Terps do have a pretty good team, so give them a puncher's shot. This might be closer than Jay Wright would prefer, but figure it will be Gary Williams crying at the buzzer.

Northwestern vs. Michigan State = And here's another one that's hard to call. The Spartans are starting to prove the wrong thing . . . that they ain't all that good. The Wildcats aren't either, but they ain't garbage, and only lost to MSU by 3 in their first meeting. I would expect the Spartans to pull it out, yet Tom Izzo might just gain a few more gray hairs before it's over.

Missouri vs. Texas A&M = And here, without a doubt, we have us a tossup game. The # 15 Tigers (15-2, 1-1) are visiting the # 14 Aggies (15-1, 2-0) in a vital early conference game for both, and in a conference neither is favored to win. You think they won't be focused here?


That's it until tomorrow afternoon for me. I'll see you then. Enjoy.

[SD Beerman]

Always a good read.....Thanks:=::=:

[jcruse64]

Louisville 71-Marquette 70. Wow!!! What a blaster for the last 5 minutes! Ricky's guys can play, when they focus.
I thought Marquette had them, but good. Comebacks like this are why college b'ball is such a blast to watch, and also sometimes so frustrating to watch :r.

Vandy on top of UT 46-41 right now, as UT is mounting its own comeback.

[The Poet]

OK, so that Butler/Detroit game wasn't so good, what with the Titans having a Midget 1st half and falling behind by 22 to the Bulldogs. But the other two I picked were: A) pretty good, with Valpo coming from behind to take Wright State 71-60. B) danged good, with Iona outlasting Rider 100-96 in OT. As for the early games today, Cincy is hanging tough with the Orange, while Marquette, Vandy, Memphis, and Duquesne have nice leads over Louisville, Tennessee, Marshall, and Temple resp't. But there's still plenty of time left, so let's move on for now.

The balance of today's action is so jam-packed with potential great games I refuse to post them all. Here is my redacted selection, believe it or not:

Kansas State vs. Texas Tech = Although I never felt K-State was an elite program, I can't see them losing this game. Hey, it could happen, but that would totally shock me.

Alabama vs. Arkansas = Nobody's much talked about these two teams, but both are quietly having a pretty decent season so far. Neither is likely to take the SEC, yet they are on track for an at-large bid in March. A win today would be another step in that direction, and you'd best believe they both know that.

Oklahoma State vs. Colorado = And here's two more who need a new press agent. Same story, and same importance. Expect a fight.

South Carolina vs. Florida = One more time. Both have had good wins and bad losses. Both need to stay around .500 at worse in conference play to dance come March. Both are aware, and both should be ready to play today.

Duke vs. Virginia = OK, here . . . not so much. You'd have to figure the Blue Devils would have to collapse completely to miss the NCAAs, and I can't see that happening. As for the Cavs, their wins over Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Va. Tech are nice, but they will need more of the same on their resume before Selection Sunday. That will most likely NOT occur in Cameron today.

U. Conn vs. DePaul = If this is still a game at halftime, I will be surprised. The Huskies should romp.

Kansas vs. Nebraska = But the Jayhawks, not so much. Not only are the 'Huskers better than the Blue Demons, but KU has remained unbeaten yet not looked unbeatable over the previous week. Give them the edge, as they are a better team and are in Phog Allen, but it just might be pretty tight.

Arizona vs. Arizona State = The Wildcats are in the early hunt for the Pac-10, and the Sun Devils . . . are not. Although most anything can happen in conference play, especially between in-state rivals, I'd not expect that scenario to change today.

Illinois vs. Wisconsin = These are two of the recent "upset" victims, although you'd have to class the Illini's one to Penn State a bigger flop than the Badgers' to the Spartans. Regardless, both want to get back on the right track. This one could get nasty.

N.C. State vs. Florida State = Will the Wolfpack's young talent finally demonstrate its abilities? Will the Semiholes still be celebrating their win over Dook, and will said hangover cost them focus today? I give FSU a slim edge, but I would not be shocked if they trip.

LSU vs. Kentucky = Calipari has begun to criticize his team for lack of intensity and control. In doing so, he hopes to correct these bad tendencies. It might work. It might backfire, as a young team sometimes takes such things too personally. Either way, figure the Tigers have enough to give the Wildcats a good game, yet not quite enough to beat them . . . not in Rupp, anyway.

Texas vs. Oklahoma = As for the Sooners, they are most aptly named today. This game against the 'Horns will be over sooner rather than later.

ODU vs. Hofstra = For mid-majors like these, every win is vital. You can only drop so many games before you drop off the radar entirely. This one should be a lot of fun.

UCF vs. Southern Mississippi = The totally-overrated Orlando Mickeys got their first loss last Saturday. I would not surprise me one bit if they get their second one down in Hattiesburg today.

Georgia vs. Mississippi = The Bulldogs got a huge win over Kentucky, then followed it with a disappointing loss to Vandy. Figure they get back into the W column today, though it might be close for a half, or a half and a half even.

Ohio State vs. Penn State = Had you asked me a week ago about this game, I would have said the Nittany Lions had absolutely no shot at all of beating the Buckeyes. But in the last seven day PSU upset Michigan State and Illinois, and have become the talk of the Big Ten. So, what do I say about this game today? The Nittany Lions have absolutely no shot at all of beating the Buckeyes.

Baylor vs. Iowa State = But the Cyclones do have a shot at beating the Bears. Baylor has not played all that well recently. I think they will win, but they could fall on their fuzzy faces once again.

San Diego State vs. New Mexico = I said a month back that I would not pick against the Aztecs until they gave me reason to do so. Their narrow and ugly victory over UNLV is not in and of itself sufficient reason. Yet I do find it incumbent to point out that the Lobos have a pretty good team themselves, so don't have a heart attack if SDSU makes a left turn in Albuquerque.

Boston College vs. Miami = Believe it or not, but the Eagles are at present soaring at the top of the ACC. And believe it or not, the 'Canes are sulking down in the basement with the Wrecks and Wakes of the league. I don't expect either situation will last all that long, and it may even end today. I would not bet on it, but it could.

Pitt vs. Seton Hall = And though the Pirates are a few steps out of the Big East cellar, it is still pretty much the same thing here. Only difference, I don't give them a Chinaman's chance against the Panthers.

Dayton vs. Xavier = But here, here we've got us a real contest. Expect it to go down to the final 2 minutes.

Washington State vs. Stanford = The Cardinal are one of those teams competing for the early edge in the Pac-10, whereas the Cougars are trying to remain relevant. I believe Stanford is building on success, and will continue today.

Michigan vs. Indiana = Both of these are storied programs (the Hoosiers much more so), and both have fallen on difficult times of late (again, the Hoosiers much more so). Both are attempting to regain some of their lost luster. Both have had some limited success, and both are still falling considerably short of their desires. Both want this victory. If that doesn't get you interested, then you're beyond my help.


I'm gonna take a little break, then come back with early finals and Sunday previews. See you soon.

[The Poet]

Always a good read.....Thanks:=::=:

Thanks, Larry. I try to entertain, without p!$$ing off too many people. And if I do, well screw 'em if they can't take a joke.

Louisville 71-Marquette 70. Wow!!! What a blaster for the last 5 minutes! Ricky's guys can play, when they focus.
I thought Marquette had them, but good. Comebacks like this are why college b'ball is such a blast to watch, and also sometimes so frustrating to watch :r.

Vandy on top of UT 46-41 right now, as UT is mounting its own comeback.

Yes, Joe, that was a great comeback. I too thought Marquette had it, but Louisville owned the end of the game and squeaked out a good win. Say what you want about Rick Pitino, the man can coach a little, no doubt.

Oh, and the Vols themselves made a great late comeback to edge Vandy 67-64. Here we have two teams that can't seem to figure out who they are, so what shot do we mere mortals have?

Other early finals:

Syracuse 67 - Cincinnati 52 = And again, the Bearcats managed to hang tough for much of the game, but the Orange took it to them in the second half to remain undefeated.

Memphis 71 - Marshall 61 = The outcome is no big surprise to me, as I knew the Tigers had better, albeit younger, talent. I did think the Herd could stick closer, but a bad first half killed them.

Georgetown 74 - Rutgers 65 = No surprise here at all. The Hoyas have been inconsistent, but Rutgers has been pretty consistent . . . consistently bad, that is.

Duquesnse 78 - Temple 66 = And if there is an upset so far today, here it is. Although I did not predict it, I did feel the Dukes could give the Owls a good game. Seems like they gave them a better game than Fran wanted.


There are many fewer games on Sunday, but still some with potential:


Notre Dame vs. St. John's = The Irish started off like a house afire, but the embers have begun to cool a bit. Meanwhile, the Johnnies have even surprised themselves at how well they have played. They actually have a shot at winning this one in MSG. I don't believe they will, but they can make it interesting.

Valparaiso vs. Detroit = And here just one more of those mid-major matchups both teams want on their resume. Expect a total war.

Creighton vs. Indiana State = Same thing here.

Purdue vs. West Virginia = The Boilermakers have played very well, but fell back into their scoring woes against the Golden Gophers. The Mountaineers were expected to take several steps backwards, yet have made some strides lately. This one could give the bookies fits.

Rhode Island vs. St. Bonaventure = If you've been paying any attention, you'll know both of these can hoop a little. Should be fun.

Butler vs. Wright State = And again. Should be fun, and could be even more fun.

North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech = The Heels have not played up to the level their talent is capable of doing. They are vulnerable, and will remain so until the prove otherwise. But the Jackets are not nearly as good as they were last season, and are playing precisely that way. UNC should be favored by a few possession, but road victories in the ACC are not easy to come by, and must be earned. Just ask Duke, if you don't believe me.

Washington vs, California = As was the case last year, the Huskies are supposed to be head-and-shoulders above all other Pac-10 teams. So far, they've only managed to get their pointy little ears up over the competition. On the other side, Cal has struggled and comes in barely better than .500 at 9-7 and 2-2. Yet they do have a few quality wins, over New Mexico, Temple, Iowa State, Arizona State, and Washington State. If they can hit their shots, they can keep it relatively close. And who knows? The police may haul off some more Huskies before gametime! :r


That's it for now. I might pop my head back in after I have some lunch, and I might not. In either case . . . enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Right now, it looks like the Cats have had their tails yanked, and are getting feisty. Pretty commanding lead at the half. Now we'll see if they are disciplined enough to keep the pedal down at the whistle.

Will be switching back and forth between this and the AFC matchup...the Steelers just made an uncharacteristic blunder that cost 7.

[GoJBCuse98]

;s Big 'Cuse fan! Going to have to say they win the Big East this year. Uconn I think is overrated, once the Big East really gets underway, they'll lose.

As for the other conferences, still undecided.

[SD Beerman]

SDSU was impressive in The Pit this weekend @BYU next week, big game.....:banger

[The Poet]

Right now, it looks like the Cats have had their tails yanked, and are getting feisty. Pretty commanding lead at the half. Now we'll see if they are disciplined enough to keep the pedal down at the whistle.


Well, UK did spank LSU, bad . . . for what that's worth. Hey, be honest. The Tigers haven't been relevant in hoops for a long time.

;s Big 'Cuse fan! Going to have to say they win the Big East this year. Uconn I think is overrated, once the Big East really gets underway, they'll lose.

As for the other conferences, still undecided.

So far so good for the Orange. But were I you, brother, I'd worry less about how good or bad are the Huskies, and more about getting past Pitt tonight. Just :2 , and worth every penny.

Oh, and as for the Big Mouth Conference, I am never undecided. Their traditional collapses in the NCAA Tourney long ago convinced me they are always overrated. :r

SDSU was impressive in The Pit this weekend @BYU next week, big game.....:banger

Yes, another good win for your Aztecs. The Lobos gave them a good game, and your boys held up under some pressure. Plus, their 87 points was just slightly better than the 55 they scored against UNLV.


Weekend update to follow.

[The Poet]

There were a lot of good close games this past weekend, as well as a fair number of blowouts, but there were only a handful of scores that really surprised me:


Indiana 80 - Michigan 61 = The Hoosiers are improving over past seasons, but they haven't improved this much. And the young Wolverines had shown some signs of late, particularly in their last few losses against Kansas and Ohio State. Scoring only 15 in the first half is one bad sign, and losing this one by a greater margin than those prior 2 combined is even worse.

Iowa State 72 - Baylor 57 = Though I though the Cyclones could beat the Bears, I would never have predicted such a spanking as this.

Kansas 63 - Nebraska 60 = OK, so maybe this wasn't such a shock. I told you I'd not been all that impressed by what I saw of the Jayhawks, and that the 'Huskers could keep it tight. But still . . . .

Michigan State 71 - Northwestern 67 (OT) = Here again, maybe I should not be surprised. Hey, I myself predicted it would be close enough to give Izzo more gray hair, and it was definitely that. But again, still . . . .

Ohio State 69 - Penn State 66 = And maybe the closeness of this one should not surprise me either, considering how PSU has suddenly seemed to find its game. Still, the Buckeyes tried their damnedest to blow their new # 1 ranking before they even got it.

Southern Mississippi 86 - UCF 69 = And even though I did say I would not be surprised if UCF got their second loss in as many games, yet a spanking such as this was not on my radar.


And speaking of spankings not on my radar, on Sunday:


Georgia Tech 78 - UNC 58 = Pitiful, just pitiful. The Heels were horrible on defense, and even worse on offense. It is one thing to allow an opposing player to score 30 points . . . hey, it happens . . ., but to couple that with a shooting percentage of 27.6? How bad is that? Well, it is Carolina's worst percentage from the field since they shot 25.7% against N.C. State . . . in 1955. As for the Jackets, it's a good win . . . or maybe not, come to think of it. :sh

St. John's 72 - Notre Dame 54 = Although I gave the Red Storm a shot at taking this one in the Garden, I did not think they would. I most certainly did not think they would whup up on the Irish, and take their lunch to boot. This was a bad a beating as their previous loss to Marquette, and with Cincy, the Golden Eagles again, and Pitt coming up, this might be the beginning of the end for the leprechauns.

West Virgina 68 - Purdue 64 = Actually, I felt this one would be pretty close, so there's no big shock here. WVU gets a very good win, and the Boilermakers get a reality check.


In early action today, the "overrated" U. Conn Huskies have already edged the . . . even-more-so-overrated? . . . Villanova Wildcats 61-59 up in Storrs. Meanwhile, two more overrated teams, Missouri and Kansas State, just tipped off in what should be a pretty good one. Games to follow include:


Charleston vs. Chattanooga = Nobody much talks about teams like this, nor seem to much care, until they come up and bite some big boy in the butt. Don't kid yourself: These two are good, and should give us a very nice contest.

Fairfield vs. Rider = Like I just said. Weren't you listening?

Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh = The supposed # 3, and certainly undefeated, Orange visit the supposed # 5, and 17-1, Pitt Panthers. Now maybe you understand why I suggested above to wait until you PLAY the Huskies before you question their relative ability. :D

Kansas vs. Baylor = The Jayhawks have dodged a few bullets lately to remain amongst the undefeated themselves. The Bears have struggled, and are coming off a stomping, so need to try and turn things around. A win in Waco would go a long way towards doing that. I don't expect it, but as I have said, I don't have a ton of faith in KU either. So, pick your poison. If the line's over three possessions, take Baylor.


That's it for today. See you tomorrow. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

So far so good for the Orange. But were I you, brother, I'd worry less about how good or bad are the Huskies, and more about getting past Pitt tonight. Just :2 , and worth every penny.



Did I warn you, or not?


Pitt 74 - Syracuse 66 = Though I feel certain the Orange faithful are disappointed, this should come as no big surprise. No only does Pitt have a good team, but Boeheim's zone has always, and will always, be vulnerable to the outside shot. Plus, when they push it out to pressure the shooters, it opens lanes for passing and penetration down low. Plus plus, as with all zones, it too often allows the opponent to outrebound you. Last night Pitt had 14 more than Syracuse, which more than made up for having 7 more turnovers also. So, one more undefeated team goes by the wayside.


In some other action:


Missouri 75 - Kansas State 59 = The outcome is no shock. The margin is a bit of one, but considering how the Wildcats have seemed to hit a wall, losing 3 of their last 4, maybe it should not be one. And when you look at their upcoming schedule (Texas A&M, Baylor, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa State, Colorado, and Kansas again), one could see things going from bad to worse.

Chattanooga 91 - Charleston 88 = I told you this would be a good one, didn't I?

Fairfield 65 - Rider 57 = And this one could have been a little better, but was still a pretty decent contest.


Tonight has a somewhat limited slate of games, yet there are still a few worth noting:


Colorado vs. Nebraska = These two are not getting the attention that several other Big 12 schools have received, but they are both doing quite well, and should give us a very nice game.

Michigan State vs. Illinois = And these two are perhaps receiving a bit TOO much attention in the Big Ten, as both have had their struggles. Still, it ought to be some fun in Champaign tonight.

Georgetown vs. Seton Hall = And there should be some fun in Newark also, though I would expect the Hoyas to have most of it.

Tennessee vs. Georgia = These two have demonstrated they can play with the best, and fold up like cheap suits . . . more so the Vols than the 'Dawgs, as Georgia's three losses (Notre Dame, Temple, and Vandy) are all "better" ones than UT's 6 Ls. So, as it is in Athens, give the Bulldogs the edge.

Maine vs. Vermont = I realize not many of you care all that much, but these are two pretty good teams (in their weight-class, anyway) fighting for the lead in the American East. If nothing else, it should be competitive.

Kentucky vs. Alabama = After Cal reamed out his players last week, the played at least one game with the focus and intensity he wants. I don't think they'll need to be Canute to hold back the Tide.

North Carolina vs. Clemson = But if anybody need to turn the tide, it is the Tar Heels. They got crushed by Georgia Tech on Sunday, and had their worst shooting night since 1955. On the other side, the Clemson Tigers visit the Smith Center in the hopes of ending an 0-54 streak on Carolina's court. Figure something's gotta give.

Michigan vs. Northwestern = Although neither of these two figure to do a whole lot in the Big Ten, both have played a few good games. So once again, something will give, one way or the other.

BYU vs. TCU = And although I do not believe for one second that the Cougars are a Top Ten team nationally, I really can't see the Horned Frogs being much more than road kill in Provo this evening. TCU's lost 5 of their last 6, and they will almost certainly fall to 10-10 tonight.


That's about all I see, though as always one of the "other" games (Texas Tech/Oklahoma? Evansville/Southern Ill.?) could turn into a barn-burner. So make your own choice, and enjoy.

[The Poet]

There were a few surprises for me last night, and the biggest one was:


Alabama 68 - Kentucky 66 = There is no way in hell the Tide should have beaten the Wildcats. I guess Calipari thinks so too, as he was caught on camera cussing out one of his freshman players on the sidelines. He apologized today, saying he got caught up in the moment, but that this is no excuse. Damn right it ain't, Cal . . . you &^@$!%' @$$&#!* you! Oh, and a great win for 'Bama, by the way.

Tennessee 59 - Georgia 57 = And this is a mild surprise, if only because it was in Athens, and the Vols have been losing more than winning lately. But as I did imply, it was a close call, and so it proved.

Illinois 71 - Michigan State 62 = And this one does not shock me with its outcome, although the margin was a tad higher than just the home court edge. But what does shock me is that the Spartans, now 12-6, are STILL being ranked nationally. Hey, I like MSU, and respect Izzo too, but fair is fair. Vote them out of the Top 25, and keep them out until they clearly demonstrate otherwise.

Georgetown 80 - Seton Hall 75 = And this is a minor shock in that the Hoyas should never have allowed the Pirates to stay this close. I don't give a crap if the game was in the Rock, or out on Broad Street in Newark, there's no good reason for this.

UNC 75 - Clemson 65 = And this one is no surprise at all, unless you consider it one that the victory keeps the Tar Heels in a 4-way tie for the lead in the ACC. And though there were a few other good signs for the Heels, there's no way it can be considered a turnaround win. But it does keep their 55-0 home streak against the Clemson Tigers intact. Just think about that a second. These two played their first basketball game in Chapel Hill over 80 years ago, and Clemson has yet to win one single game there. A run like that is hard to believe, much less to beat.


There are a lot more games tonight of import, so let's get to them:


Ohio State vs. Iowa = The Buckeyes almost blew their brand-new # 1 ranking before they even got it, but managed to squeak by a "surging" Penn State to remain undefeated. They should retain that against the Hawkeyes. However, do NOT think they are unbeatable. In their last four games, they won by a combined 15 points total . . . not a dominant performance, by any reckoning.

Memphis vs. Southern Mississippi = One team has not played as well as some expected, and the other has been better. This one could be real close.

James Madison vs. ODU = And this one's just a nice even matchup between two decent teams, and should be close also.

Virginia vs. Boston College = The Eagles are one of those 4 teams atop the ACC (so far, that is), while the Cavs are one of those striving to leave Wake Forest alone in the basement. If the guards for UVA can hit from outside, they can keep this one close up in Chestnut Hill, but I'd expect BC to pull it out.

Louisville vs. St. John's = The Cardinals needed a furious comeback against Marquette to edge them by one Saturday, and the Johnnies got a great win against Notre Dame Sunday. This game is in the new KFC Crumbucket, so give L'ville an edge. But I am very interested to see if the Red Storm can continue to improve.

Cincinnati vs. Notre Dame = Both of these are coming off of tough losses, and both need a win. I predict one of them will get it tonight.

George Washington vs. Richmond = And these are two who need all the wins they can garner before the Selection Committee meets, so plan on a war here.

Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech = And these two are already planning to sit out the Big Dance, barring some miracle. Yet neither wants to be embarrassed, so they should show up and play.

Duke vs. N. C. State = The last time the Blue Devils left the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stydium, they lost. I would not bet on that being the case in Raleigh tonight, yet stranger things have happened. In conference play, against in-state rivals, all things are possible.

Missouri State vs. Indiana State = Here are two more of those teams nobody talks about, but both are not only capable of making the NCAAs, they could actually win a game or two there. Should be fun.

U. Mass vs. Charlotte = And both of these have had their ups-and-downs, which means they really need to make a move soon, or resign themselves to wait 'til next year. For that alone, it is worth keeping half an eye on.

Arkansas vs. South Carolina = Believe it or not, these two are presently challenging for the lead in their respective SEC divisions. If that does not focus them, nothing would.

SMU vs. UAB = The Blazers are not accustomed to being in a hole, and are trying to climb out. The Mustangs have been in that same hole for a while, yet are trying to keep from sinking deeper. This might actually be a pretty good game.

West Virginia vs. Marshall = So should this one. The Mountaineers are on a bit of a roll, and the Thundering Herd is hoping to start a new one. I'd give WVA the edge, but it may be fairly close even late in the contest.

Northern Iowa vs. Wichita State = Here are two more of those squads which are under most people's radar, but who can play a bit of ball. They are teams you don't want to meet in the second game of the NCAAs, as they can sneak up and bite you. Flip a coin here.

Purdue vs. Penn State = The Boilermakers did not lose a game in December, and have already lost two this month. So despite their nickname, it's Penn State who's gotten hot. Yet I don't expect them to stay hot, so put your penny on PU, not PSU.

Mississippi vs. Vanderbilt = Vandy has stumbled a bit from time to time, yet always against quality opponents. The Rebels started out better than their fans expected, yet have now dropped 3 in a row. I figure that will reach 4 down in Nashville this evening.

Texas vs. Texas A&M = And if there is a "pick 'em" amongst the top tier teams tonight, this is the one. It is in Austin, so the 'Horns have that. It is also the time of year when the 'Horns start their traditional collapse, so they also have that. As for the Aggies, they have only lost once so far, and that was to Boston College by two points 'way back at Thanksgiving. They'd best make both teams check their Colts at the door for this one.

Florida State vs. Miami = It may be news to you, but these two teams don't much like each other. Plus, they are close enough in talent to be equals. This one just might end in bloodshed also.

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State = Both of these squads have notched some quality wins, and both are headed towards the cellar of the Big 12. Neither wants to be there, and to be honest, I don't think neither belongs their either. So here's another war for you to watch.

San Diego State vs. Air Force = And if this one WAS a war, and not a basketball game, the Air Force would just bomb the Aztecs back to the Stone Age, where they belong. However, it is not. Figure the Falcons may stay close for a while, but SDSU builds a decent lead in the 2nd half.

Colorado State vs. UNLV = And while those Aztecs and BYU are fighting for the lead in the Mountain West (not tonight, but soon), these two are fighting to stay in contention there. The Rams are visiting the Rebels, so give the house the odds . . . but don't bet your shirt.

St. Mary's vs. San Diego = And why this one? Well, it may have escaped your attention, but the Gaels are once again having a tremendous season. So far, they even lead the fabled Gonzaga for the WCC title. Tonight they pit their 4-0 conference record against the Toreros 0-4 one. Which one do you THINK I'm gonna pick, hunh?


That should be enough for you on a Wednesday, don't you think? So, enjoy.

[The Poet]

I'm feeling pretty crappy today, so don't expect my typical long (and hopefully lively) posts. There were, as noted above, many games last night, but only a few were truly much fun:

Boston College 70 - Virginia 67 = The Cavs hung tough, but dropped another close one to a better team.

Indiana State 70 - Missouri State 69 = I thought this could be a good one, and it was.

Oklahoma State 96 - Iowa State 87 (OT) = It proved to be the war I predicted.

Florida State 55 - Miami 53 = And this was another tight conference battle, though the score seems more typical of a football game between the 'Canes and 'Holes.

Purdue 63 - Penn State 62 = I guess the time is passed to be shocked at the Nittany Lions. Yes they lost again on the road, after dropping one by only 3 at Ohio State, but be honest . . . could YOUR team lose two better games? I said you should put a penny on the Boilermakers, and a penny was what it was.

South Carolina 81 - Arkansas 74 (OT) = And I told you these two would be focused on the victory. Seems the 'Cocks kept it up just a bit longer.

Memphis 76 - Southern Mississippi 75 = I thought it might be close. It couldn't have been much closer.

Marshall 75 - West Virginia 71 = And if there was an upset, this one is it. It's a mild one at best, but still a good win for the Herd.

Northern Iowa 77 - Wichita State 74 = It's sometimes hard to get a good read on how good some mid-majors are, but you're pretty safe with these two. The Panthers made a lot of noise last year, and the Shockers have been around the block a time or three themselves.


And speaking of such games, there may be quite a few tonight. However, most seem to be of the type that, entertaining as they may be, there's little national import and few people really care all that much. Detroit/Cleveland State? Oakland/South Dakota State? Gonzaga/Santa Clara? Even some of the "big boys" fall into this gap, like Cal/UCLA, USC/Stanford/ Rutgers/South Florida . . . hell, even Florida/Auburn, as you'd expect this to be over by the half. But I did spot 3 that piqued my interest a bit:

Wisconsin vs. Indiana = There is no doubt the Badgers are a better team than the Hoosiers, who just won their first following a 6-game losing streak. But four of those six were under 10 points at the end, so it is possible IU can stay close to a team as . . . uh, shall we be kind and say "deliberate"? . . . as is Wisconsin.

Virginia Tech vs. Maryland = The Hokies want to stay at least mid-pack in the ACC for now, in the hope they can take advantage if somebody stumbles. The Terps want to get there, for the same reason. Both need every game like this.

Arizona vs. Washington = And as it is for those "competing" on the Right Coast, so it is for these two trying to stay on top of the Left one. Only the winner of this will stay so.


That's all I feel like doing today. I hope you shall enjoy, as I don't think I will much.

[SD Beerman]

Hope you feel better soon....:tu

[The Poet]

Hope you feel better soon....:tu


Why, thank you Larry. I'm about twice as good as yesterday, but still not up to par.


A handful of the games last night were pretty decent:


Florida 45 - Auburn 40 = But I'm not sure this was one of them. The Gators are supposed to be fairly good, while the Tigers purely stink. This is better than a loss, but not by much.

Virginia Tech 74 - Maryland 57 = Nor was this one all that hot. The Terps have lost 3 of their last 4, and to get spanked by the Hokies like this, in College Park no less, does not bode well. But it's a good road win for VT, and puts them above .500 in the ACC.

Wisconsin 69 - Indiana 60 = And though I'm sure the Hoosiers would prefer a victory, there's no shame in keeping it this close against the Badgers, in Madison.

UCLA 86 - California 84 = The Bruins tried to p!$$ this one away, dropping most of a 14-point lead in the last 4 minutes, but managed to hang on by the tips of their claws to remain relevant in the Pac-10 . . . for what that's worth.

Eastern Illinois 61 - Murray State 60 = But the Racers dropped a squeaker on their home court to slip a full game out of the OVC race. It's still early, yet they need to find some consistency in their play before it's not still early, and rather too late.

UMBC 74 - Hartford 70 (2OT) = Though nobody much cares, any game as hard fought as this one deserved a bit of attention.

Mo. Kansas City 85 - IUPUI 77 (2OT) = Here too.

Utah Valley 107 - North Dakota 96 (4OT) = Here, X 2.


There are slim pickin's tonight. The Lipscomb/East Tenn. State, the Valpo/Wisc. Milwaukee, and Butler/Wisc. Green Bay games might be pretty good, while Fairfield/Canisius and Siena/St. Peter's should be competitive, but none of those teams seem likely to make much noise this season. However, on Saturday there's once again altogether too many games to do proper justice to. I'll be back a bit later to preview at least the ones which tip off early. Until later then.

[The Poet]

Some years back, a buddy of mine and I figured out we'd watched over 200 college basketball games between Thanksgiving and Easter. Were you to watch those tomorrow which have a chance to be good ones, you yourself could get a big jump on that total. Even before your brunch settles properly, we'll have:


George Mason vs. James Madison = These two are a game out of the Colonial lead, and tied with ODU at 5-2 in league play. Both are good teams, and both want the win to stay within reach, since even with a expanded field of 68 the Committee may not go 5-deep in the CAC.

Richmond vs. U. Mass = And it's pretty much the same story here, except that it's a five-way tie at second in the A-10. As there's no damn way they'll go 7-deep in ANY mid-major conference, all these games are vital.

Ohio State vs. Illinois = OK, so neither of these need worry much about dancing come March. However, the Buckeyes would like to keep their # 1 ranking, and their undefeated record, intact a while longer if at all possible. It is certainly possible, but a visit to Champaign may burst their bubble.

Syracuse vs. Villanova = Here again, a potential NCAA bid is probably not on the line. But both teams are coming off of conference losses (to Pitt and U. Conn. resp't), and both would like to turn that around as quickly as possible. The Orange have the home advantage, but 'Nova has four or five players who can hit shots over Boeheim's zone. If they do, this one could be very tight.

Georgia Tech vs. Virginia = Neither of these squads are conference contenders, much less national one, but neither one is the total garbage some would want you to believe, since both are capable of winning games. This could be more fun than you might expect.

Rutgers vs. Seton Hall = And that holds true for this Battle of New Jersey also. One thing you can count on happening in Newark tomorrow . . . The Rock will be rockin'.

Eastern Kentucky vs. Morehead State = Remember what I said about the Colonial and A-10 games above? Well, just substitute Ohio Valley Conference, and you'll know what this one means.

Colorado vs. Oklahoma = The Buffaloes have been the surprise of the Big 12 so far, despite their stumble to the Cornhuskers on Tuesday. The Sooners have been . . . well, not a whole hell of a lot, to be honest. But this one's in Norman, so figure they will at least make it to the game, whether or not they actually show up. And who knows? We might luck up and have a decent contest.

Mississippi vs. LSU = The Rebels came into conference play with only 3 losses, then dropped their last 4 in league play to remain winless in the SEC West. Meanwhile, the Tigers played like total crap throughout their "preseason", yet have managed to win 2 of 3 so far in the conference, including a nice one over Arkansas (and yes, an embarrassing spanking by Kentucky). Truth be told, I have no idea what to predict here, and even though the game's in Baton Rouge I can't pick a favorite. Hey, the stadium may be named after Pistol Pete, but I don't think he's gonna suit up!


I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with more weekend action, and some early scores. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

As I figured, most of that handful of games last night were fairly close, but the only real effect they had was that Fairfield and Iona remained atop the MAAC with their wins, while the wins by Valpo and Butler kept them both in contention in the Horizon. Today's action has begun, but everything's too early and too close to call, though 'Nova did have a double-digit lead over Syracuse when I started typing this. I say that because this may take a while, for even with throwing out a bunch of games that should be noted, I'm left with pages to cover. Such as:


Wright State vs. Cleveland State = As with that Valpo/Butler reference above, this one is a big one on the Horizon.

St. Mary's vs. Vanderbilt = And here's a big non-conference game, since Vandy will be the best opponent the newly-ranked Gaels have faced in nearly two months, and so might give us some indication how real Gael be.

Texas A&M vs. Kansas State = The Aggies continue to play better than was expected, and the Wildcats continue to sink towards the Big 12 basement. I think that should still apply in College Station this afternoon.

Stanford vs. UCLA = The Pac-10 is not getting much respect, just like last season. And if you remember how they did in the NCAA Tourney, they deserved a good deal more last year, and just might this one too. These mid-pack contests are vital, as the Selection Committee is notoriously stupid, and may not go very deep in the Pac-10, because they believe the experts more than they believe the actual action.

U. Conn vs. Tennessee = As the Huskies have been more consistent than have the Vols, I would give them the edge here even if they were not playing the game at home . . . of course. Of UC's 15 wins, ten have been on friendly hardwood. Calhoun should change their mascot name to the Chicken$#!+s.

Clemson vs. Maryland = As with the Pac-10 comment above, the experts think the ACC is pretty crummy (and nevermind that the last 2 champs have come from there). They might not go as deep into them as normally come March, which makes games such as this one huge for both teams.

Temple vs. Xavier = Different conference, same story.

VCU vs. ODU = Yes, again.

New Mexico vs. UNLV = And once more.

Oklahoma State vs. Baylor = Make that twice more, as both of these two have struggled a bit lately, and lost some luster.

Pitt vs. DePaul = But not the Panthers, who gave the Orange their first loss. They will give the Blue Demons their umpteenth today.

Chattanooga vs. Furman = The Southern Conference will be lucky to get two bids in March. Both these teams want one, and when you throw Charleston into the mix that leaves one hangin'. These guys know all that, so expect a fight.

Texas vs. Kansas = And both these teams have already made their March travel plans. But the 'Horns are tired of losing to the Jayhawks, so don't expect them to mail one in. This could be fun.

Washington vs. Arizona State = These Huskies figure they are safe. The Sun Devils know they are anything but. They may not win, but they will come to play.

Duke vs. Wake Forest = And if things stay true to form, the Deacs ain't got a prayer against the Dooks.

Cincinnati vs. St. John's = But the Red Storm do have a shot against the Bearcats. That would be true even if the game wasn't in Carnesecca Arena. Don't bet on it, but don't be shocked by it either.

Mississippi State vs. Georgia = And this one should be fun too, since the SEC seems to be a lot less "top heavy" than . . . uh, say maybe, Ashley Judd?

Louisville vs. Providence = This one could get ugly, fast. The Friars played some decent ball early, but lately they have crumbled.

Creighton vs. Missouri State = But this one could stay close until the buzzer.

Kentucky vs. South Carolina = And this one too. Don't think the 'Cats are gonna easily beat the 'Cocks. Remember, last year they suffered their first loss against USC, when they had a better team than this one.

Portland vs. Santa Clara = Just another of those important conference games, which can make or break both teams' seasons. No biggie.

Memphis vs. UAB = And though these two are more likely to be awarded an at-large than some others mentioned above, they are still in a tie with two others for the CUSA lead. Expect them to be focused.

UTEP vs. Houston = And here's that other two tied atop the CUSA. Same deal, same intensity.

Boston College vs. Florida State = Different conference, same deal. Along with Dook, there's a three-way at 4-1 in the ACC, with the Heels a half back at 3-1. Yeah, it's early, but as in baseball, you can't make up losses.

Minnesota vs. Michigan = The Gophers are ranked # 15 in the nation, and are presently 6th in the Big Ten with their .500 conference record. One or the other is totally bogus. speaking of bogus, the Wolverines have made a step back for every one they've made forward. Put those two things together, and I'm hoping they BOTH lose today.

Notre Dame vs. Marquette = And I think either of these two could lose today also. It's a toss-up, no doubt.

Arkansas vs. Florida = I see this one as that too.

Indiana State vs. Wichita State = Again.

Michigan State vs. Purdue = Pretty much here too, though the inconsistent Boilermakers have STILL been more consistent than the psychotic Spartans.

Missouri vs. Iowa State = The Tigers have gotten all the press, but the Cyclones have played some good ball too. This is likely to be closer than you'd expect.

BYU vs. Colorado State = And here again, we've got that same story. Figure the Rams to hang tough, especially in Fort Collins.

Arizona vs. Washington State = Neither team wants to slip further down into the Pac pack, so you can expect them both to show up. I think the desert 'Cats are a tiny bit better, but they are on the road, so flip a coin.


I'm going to check on some early finals now, and look at Sunday games. Back shortly.

[The Poet]

So here's some early finals for you:


Ohio State 73 - Illinois 68 = And it was actually closer than that. The Illini had a little dry spell in the 2nd half, yet got within a point inside the last minute.

Villanova 83 - Syracuse 72 = Hey, I told you that 'Nova could keep it tight by hitting some outside shots. Their 11 treys helped them. Their 22 FTs helped them even more.

George Mason 75 - James Madison 73 = As a figured it would be, a tight contest.

Richmond 84 - U. Mass. 68 = But I figured this would be tighter than this. Hey, I'm happy for the Spiders, but I'd prefer a closer game, if only for the entertainment.

Rutgers 66 - Seton Hall 60 = Now that's more like it. Though nobody outside the state of New Jersey really gives a damn (and there's many in-state that don't either, such as myself), this is the kind of action you want on a Saturday afternoon.

Virginia 72 - Georgia Tech 64 = And you might think this was too, but you'd be wrong. The Jackets had to make a furious comeback to get the margin down to respectable from laughable, and UVA had it from midway through the 1st. A good win for them, and a ding for the Wreck.


Lunchtime. Back with more a bit later.

[The Poet]

I haven't noticed any other meaningful finals so far, so lemme just give you a few Sunday games of note:


Wisconsin vs. Northwestern = An important Big 10 game for both, though the Wildcats need a quality win more than do the Badgers.

Miami vs. N.C. State = And a not-so-vital ACC contest, as it mainly concerns these two trying to stay out of Wake's basement.

Indiana vs. Iowa = Pretty much the same cellar-stopper as that one above, but back in the Big 10.

West Virginia vs. South Florida = But the Bulls seem happy enough down there with the DePauls and the Providences of the Big East, so let them stay there.

Belmont vs. East Tennessee State = And this just might turn out to be the most competitive, and best-played, game of the day.



Maybe I have a few more finals now. If so, I'll be back. If not . . . well, enjoy.

[The Poet]

Aside from numerous others, there's three more meaningful finals:


Texas A&M 64 - Kansas State 56 = This is no surprise, as these two have been heading in opposite directions for some time now.

Vanderbilt 89 - St. Mary's 70 = And neither is this one. The Gaels are a good team, but not at Vandy's level. Besides, it is awfully disconcerting, playing on that court suspended in mid-air down in Nashville.

U. Conn 72 - Tennessee 61 = And this too should have been expected. The Huskies are tough on their court, and the Vols can't seem to get out of their own way at times.

[jcruse64]

Wow! KU's home win streak is busted, and by Texas?!?!?!?

Louisville Cards lose; they really could have used this win.

Pitt wins again-#2 spot????

'Cuse loses again???????

Vandy beats St. Mary's; nice win for this SEC team.

UK handles South Carolina handily.

UT doesn't fare well against UCONN.

Murray State beats an emasculated SEMO tonight (only 2 scholarship players this season, I think) by 38. Hey, we needed a win like this. Morehead lost, but Austin Peay won today, so we didn't gain much ground.

Lot's of good B'Ball on today. We got to go to the MSU game tonight.

[The Poet]

Wow! KU's home win streak is busted, and by Texas?!?!?!?

Louisville Cards lose; they really could have used this win.

Pitt wins again-#2 spot????

'Cuse loses again???????

Vandy beats St. Mary's; nice win for this SEC team.

UK handles South Carolina handily.

UT doesn't fare well against UCONN.

Murray State beats an emasculated SEMO tonight (only 2 scholarship players this season, I think) by 38. Hey, we needed a win like this. Morehead lost, but Austin Peay won today, so we didn't gain much ground.

Lot's of good B'Ball on today. We got to go to the MSU game tonight.


Good and valid points all, Joe, but none of them shocked me much . . . except that is for the Louisville loss. I said two weeks ago, after watching Kansas against Michigan, that I was not impressed by the Jayhawks all that much. As for the Longhorns beating them, even in Lawrence, keep in mind that Rick Barnes always seems to recruit a lot of talent . . . his problem has been teaching them how to play as a team.

However, I never thought there was any way in hell the Friars could beat Louisville. Yeah, I know Providence has played OK at times, but for them to break their 6-game losing streak, and get their 1st Big East win, against the Cardinals instead of, say, St. John's, Rutgers, or South Florida? You can't make some of this $#!+ up, that's for sure.

Pitt beating DePaul is as huge an upset as Duke beating Wake. :D Either one of them might deserve the # 2 ranking (for what that's worth in January), partly due to their own play, and partly due to the losses suffered by others.

As for the Orange, I am never surprised when they lose to a conference team, or to a good team with an experienced coach. Syracuse's biggest strength is also its greatest weakness, and that is Boeheim's zone. If their opponent has the talent and the knowhow to properly attack it, the 'Cuse can find themselves in trouble. And when they do, a zone is not conducive to forcing the action and recovering from a sizable deficit.

I figured Vandy would beat St. Mary's. The Gaels are a good team, but Vandy is a better one . . . when they actually show up to play. And as I noted, that court in Nashville can throw off an opponent's game, if they are not used to looking down at their coach and the bench. Come to think of it, who besides the Comms are used to that?

It's no surprise that Kentucky beat the 'Cocks. I had hoped for a closer game, but a victory against the Wildcats would have been nearly as big an upset as was the one last year.

As for Tennessee, I have almost come to expect them to lose. Shoot, had they scored 15 or 20 fewer total points this season in a select number of their games, they'd have as many losses as wins.

And as for your Racers, they had better try to build on this win and stay no worse than they are in the OVC if they want to have a hope for a bid in March. The Committee may or may not consider more than 2 teams from the conference, and Murray State does not have a "quality" win against a big-name school . . . and as there are none left on their schedule, they won't get one either.


I'm gonna look see what other scores strike me as important, or interesting, and will be back soon.

[The Poet]

As Joe noted, there were a lot of good games over the weekend. But since I don't have all day to jot them all down, and you don't have all day to read about them all, I'll just note a few more that, for one reason or another, surprised me. Besides, what real meaning did the Oklahoma/Colorado or Oregon/Oregon State games truly have, in the long haul?

In the balance of Saturday's action:


Florida 75 - Arkansas 43 = I'm not surprised the Gators won, but for the Razorbacks to basically not even show up like this . . . well, that was not expected.

Florida State 67 - Boston College 51 = And this is nearly as drastic a failing by the Eagles . . . especially with the ACC lead on the line.

Maryland 79 - Clemson 77 = Now this is more like it . . . though I'd have thought the Terps could protect their home court a little better.

Minnesota 69 - Michigan 64 = And though I realize the young Wolverines have been playing a little better, there's not much excuse here for the Gophers.

San Francisco 96 - Gonzaga 91 (OT) = Now be honest with me: Did you ever think you'd see the Dons beat Gonzaga? OK, so maybe if you're old enough to remember Bill Russell on their team.

Texas Tech 72 - Nebraska 71 = And how did the Red Raiders steal one from the 'Huskers, who have been playing pretty good ball of late? Well, late is right now.

Rice 57 - UCF 50 = Here's another, though I'm not as shocked as some may be. The UCF Knights won 14 in a row, and made it into the Top 20. Now they have dropped their last four games, and have disappeared back to where they probably belonged all along. OK, so they were overrated . . . but to let the Owls "improve" to 9-10 by dropping you? Sheesh.

Wichita State 93 - Indiana State 83 (3OT) = Although I felt this was a toss-up from the get-go, I never thought it would be this great a game. Give them both some props.


On Sunday I only noticed two scores which puzzled me:


West Virginia 56 - South Florida 46 = Alright, so it's a win for the Mountaineers. And maybe they have been playing better than was expected coming into the season. But the Bulls have been purely awful, winning only 2 of their last 13 contests. OK, so they didn't win this one either, but they did keep it within striking distance. So don't tell ME that WVA's all that good.

Wisc. Milwaukee 86 - Butler 80 (OT) = And we all knew that Butler would not be nearly as good this year as they were in 2010. But there's no damn excuse for this one, which is just as bad as that SF/'Zags game above.


Tonight's action is fairly limited, but there are a handful of important games, mainly as they relate to standings at or near the top in conference play:


Furman vs. Wofford = Such as the Southern Conference. This one should be tight.

James Madison vs. Hofstra = Or in the CAC. Here's another tight one.

ODU vs. N.C. Wilmington = Again, Colonial Athletic action, and another decent matchup.

Notre Dame vs. Pittsburgh = And here's one from one of those smaller, less important, conferences. It is in the Steel City, but the Irish have at least a shot at stealing one.

Baylor vs. Kansas State = The Bears have been up and down since Christmas. Still, that's better than the Manhattan Wildcats, who have been down and downer since before Christmas. This one is vital to both teams, if only for their confidence.

George Mason vs. Delaware = And we're back in the CAC again, with another game important to both. Furthermore, when you realize that the other 2 CAC teams still at .500 or better (VCU & Drexel) are also playing this evening, you may understand just what one day may mean to the NCAA hopes of all involved.


Back tomorrow with more. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Pitt vs ND just starting.

No, MSU wont have a prayer for a bid if we don't win our tourney, and we really need to get a home opener for it, too. The committee will never pick 2 from the OVC, if it didn't back in the late 80's/early 90's. And they shouldn't; it's not that good a mid-major conference.

[The Poet]

Pitt vs ND just starting.

No, MSU wont have a prayer for a bid if we don't win our tourney, and we really need to get a home opener for it, too. The committee will never pick 2 from the OVC, if it didn't back in the late 80's/early 90's. And they shouldn't; it's not that good a mid-major conference.


Always an honest post from you, Joe, and I appreciate it. It's great you can be a fan without being a homer. Oh, and that Pitt/ND game's now over:


Notre Dame 56 - Pitt 51 = Well, I said the Irish had a shot at stealing one, and it didn't hurt with the Panthers playing like the Pitts. But looking at the stats, the loss is hard to understand. Pitt didn't shoot great, but neither did ND. The fouls, the rebounds, and the turnovers were pretty equal too. But hey, everybody has nights like that, and if you don't show up you don't deserve to win.

Kansas State 69 - Baylor 61 = I can't say I would have been surprised regardless of which way this one went. Both teams have had their good and bad moments, and last night belonged to the 'Cats.

Morehead State 50 - Ball State 48 = I debated yesterday mentioning this one, as I thought it might be close, but then gave it a pass. Shows how dumb I am.

Hofstra 92 - James Madison 90 (OT) = But I didn't skip this one, since I saw last night as an important one midway through the CAC schedule. The Pride just had a little more of that than did the Dukes.

VCU 80 - Towson 76 = And though I mentioned this in passing, I did not post it separately, as I did not think the Tigers had a snowball's chance against the Rams. Again, how dumb am I? Though I won't call ANY conference win a "bad" one, I might just consider this a "good" loss for Towson.

Furman 73 - Wofford 68 (OT) = Yet, dumb as I am, I did call this as being tight for a key Southern Conference game. It's a great win for the Paladins . . . but much like Joe's Murray State, it won't earn them a bid.

AR Pine Bluff 90 - Prairie View A&M 85 (2OT) = And though this SWAC game will prove to be totally meaningless over the long haul (these 2 teams have a collective 8-31 record), it behooves us to give some attention to anybody who puts on such a show.


Tonight has a decent selection of good games, or at least important games with the potential to be good:


Richmond vs. Dayton = Unlike some of the smaller mid-majors listed above, the A-10 will receive multiple bids. However, they won't go 6 deep in it, so this one's big for both teams if they want to stay near the top.

N.C. State vs. Clemson = And unlike some of the big conferences, they may not go 6 deep in the ACC. It likely won't matter one way or the other to these two, but neither wants to end up down in the Demon Deacons' personal hell. As this one's down in Littlejohn, give the Tigers an edge over the Wolfpack.

Florida vs. Georgia = And this one is in Athens, so I'm tempted to give the 'Dawgs a tiny edge too, despite the fact that I think the Gators have a better team. Yet Florida has been as changeable as their weather, so who know which Gator team will make it up the highway?

Syracuse vs. Seton Hall = It's been a bad week for the Orange, losing their first AND their second game all year, back-to-back. I suspect that trend will turn around against the Pirates in the Dome tonight.

Kansas vs. Colorado = And it's not been a great week for the Jayhawks either, losing both their first game of the season AND their home winning streak. They are on the road in Boulder tonight, so cannot restart both streaks . . . and might not even begin one. They are better than the Buffaloes, but despite their 2 losses in a row coming into this Colorado has posted wins against Missouri and K-State. Plus, they are used to playing at altitude, so they do have a chance here.

Belmont vs. Lipscomb = The Bruins have taken control of the Atlantic Sun, and I would not expect that to change tonight. OK, the Bisons are fairly decent, and can win, but the last time these 2 faced off, Belmont spanked them 88-52. You can't plan on such a margin every night, yet Lipscomb's home court can't be worth 30+ points!

U. Conn vs. Marquette = But this one should be a lot closer. I won't say the Golder Eagles will beat the Huskies in Milwaukee, but they have played well enough at times to beat anybody. Regardless of the final, this one should be fun.

Ohio State vs. Purdue = And if the Boilermakers can hit a few shots, this one could be too. You have to give the Buckeyes the advantage, up to the point when somebody actually proves otherwise, but despite their 20-0 record they have NOT played dominant ball. So far they have dodged bullets fired by Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Penn State, and Illinois. Someday, somebody's bound to hit something.

Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech = The Hokies have thumped Wake and Maryland (and Longwood, for what that mean) of late, and have hopes of hanging around for an at-large bid. The Wreck is not yet dead either, but they need this one just as badly to stay on life support. If nothing else, both should be focused.


That's what I see up this evening. Take your pick, and enjoy.

[The Poet]

There were a few surprises last night, and even one huge upset:


Seton Hall 90 - Syracuse 68 = And in the Carrier Dome, no less! I did not think there was a chance in hell the Pirates could beat the Orange, no matter where they played the game. Yet for them to whip up on them like this, it's totally unbelievable. But the Hall hit 10 threes, and even outrebounded the 'Cuse . . . for which there's only one excuse. Need I say it again? Boeheim's zone will win him many games, but will turn and bite him in the @$$ from time to time. This makes the third time in a row, and as they travel to Marquette and U. Conn next, it still may not be over.

Georgia Tech 72 - Virginia Tech 57 = This one is nearly as big a surprise. I know the Wreck has played a few good games . . . hey, they wrecked my Heels not long ago . . . but the Hokies have been playing consistently better. And I could more easily accept a close victory down in Hot 'Lanta, but a 15-point one? You can't make this $#!+ up.

Lipscomb 73 - Belmont 64 = Here again, I'm surprised that the Bisons gored the Bruins. Belmont is a better team, so for them to lose by 3 full possessions shocks me.

Ohio State 87 - Purdue 64 = OK, so maybe this isn't as big a shock as the others. One might have expected the Buckeyes to win, even if not by such a margin. However, the Boilermakers have had the tendency to struggle from the field. Last night they shot under 40%, and OSU grabbed more defensive rebounds than Purdue had in total.

Kansas 82 - Colorado 78 = But this one's no surprise at all. The Jayhawks bounce back from their loss to Texas, and yet the Buffaloes hung tough too. All in all, as good a game as you could reasonably expect.

Florida 104 - Georgia 91 (2OT) = Pretty much the same story here, and an even tighter contest. The Gators needed a good win, and the Bulldogs wanted one too.

U. Conn 76 - Marquette 68 = Another pretty decent conference game, and a nice road victory for the Huskies.

Clemson 60 - N.C. State 50 = But this one, not so much. The margin is close enough, I suppose, but for these guys to score so poorly does not speak well of their offensive capabilities. And no, although I did not see the game, I will not believe it was caused by their tenacious defenses.

Richmond 70 - Dayton 61 = This is a little more like it. The Spiders get an important A-10 victory on the road, and stay within reach of the league lead at 5-1.

Florida Gulf Coast 111 - Stetson 103 (3OT) = Wow. Wanna bet those guys slept good last night?


There are many good conference matchups tonight, and I can't post them all. Here are two handfuls which jumped out at me:


Louisville vs. West Virginia = Both of these teams have played well, and played poorly. If both come in focused, and they both have good reason to do so, this could be a war.

Drexel vs. James Madison = Another of those big games in a small conference. The CAC seems to have twice as many teams who deserve a bid to the NCAA than they will likely receive, so each win counts hugely.

Georgetown vs. St. John's = The Red Storm have shown great improvement over past seasons, and are capable of beating the Hoyas, even down in DC. In fact, they are actually a 1/2-game ahead of Georgetown in the Big Mouth at this point. But honestly, I don't think they will be so tomorrow. Well, truth be told, I KNOW they won't, one way or the other. :D

East Carolina vs. Southern Mississippi = These two are not the usual suspects in the CUSA, but they both are still in the race. Considering how badly they'd like to stay there, this one should be fun.

Villanova vs. Providence = The Wildcats are coming off a huge victory over Syracuse. The Friars are coming of an even bigger one, for them anyway, over Loiuisville. Though this one is in Rhode Island, I don't think the home court will be a deciding factor. If 'Nova shows up, this one won't be close. If Providence does, and 'Nova struggles even a bit, it just might. But don't bet on that, for sure.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State = The Cowboys have played very well at time, yet have had problems in conference play. The Longhorns just got one of the biggest wins in their history, yet this is the traditional time of the year when they start to crash and burn. If you're anywhere near Stillwater tonight, you know where you should be. This one will either be a romp by the 'Horns, or a real barnburner.

North Carolina vs. Miami = One so-called "expert" has cited a report from Chapel Hill that the Tar Heels are "close to turning the corner". I don't know what the hell that means, and I won't believe it anyway until I see it on the court. The only good sign I've seen lately is the improved play of freshman gruad Kendall Marshall, and subsequent increased minutes granted by Roy. The Heels will likely need at least 6 more conference wins to grab a bid in March. They'd better get one of them against the bottom-feeding 'Canes in Coral Gables tonight.

LSU vs. Tennessee = The Tigers were not supposed to challenge in the SEC this season, and so far they've accomplished precisely that. The Vols were supposed to have at least a shot at challenging Kentucky, and so far they have repeatedly disappointed expectations. I have little faith in either of these teams, so flip a coin.

Murray State vs. SIU Edwardsville = As important as it is for my Heels to win some conference games against the bottom-feeders, it is much more important for Joe's Racers to do so. This should be a spanking, and if not, shame on them.

Minnesota vs. Northwestern = The Golden Gophers just lost their point guard to injury, so if there's any time for the Wise'Cats to pounce on them, it is tonight. They are in general not as good a team, but they don't suck, and the Gophers may have problems adjusting with Al Nolen cheering from the bench while nursing his broken foot.

SMU vs. Tulsa = Here's two teams with a bit of history (some good, some bad) which are trying desperately to remain better than .500 squads. This one could get nasty.

Rutgers vs. Cincinnati = The Bearcats have home court, and a better team. The Scarlet Knights are probably still a year or two away. But hey, if Providence can beat Louisville, and Seton Hall beat Syracuse, then Rutgers can beat Cincy . . . right?

Rhode Island vs. LaSalle = The Rams have beated good teams, and have lost to crappy ones. The Billikens are a crappy team. As above, who knows?

Creighton vs. Northern Iowa = Both of these teams are decent, and both are chasing teams above them in the Missouri Valley. If this one is not close, I'd be shocked.

San Diego State vs. BYU = And we end the day with a game I've been looking forwards to all month. The Aztecs is the only other undefeated team left in the country (other than the Buckeyes, that is), and their remaining schedule does not offer them the challenges OSU will face. But here is one of them. Although I don't believe the 19-1 Cougars are truly the 9th best team in the nation, I do know they can give the 20-0 and 4th-ranked Aztecs as much as they can handle . . . especially at home. Ultimately, this game in Provo may not provo anything, one way or the other, but it still should be of interest to any college hoops fan.


That's all for now. See you tomorrow, if I don't get snowed in. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

I could post a couple of pages on the important conference games last night, which is typical of this time of year. Yet I shall limit myself to a dozen or so of note:


Providence 83 - Villanova 68 = Yeah, I know the Friars have had a few good games this season. Yeah, I know 'Nova has had its problems from time to time. Yeah, I know the game was in Rhode Island, and I also know the Big East has had a number of big upsets over the last couple of weeks. But this approaches a whuppin', and I never expected this. Another great win for Providence, and another piece of evidence that the Philly'Cats have issues to address.

Memphis 77 - UCF 61 = And amongst those other things I also know, I fully realize I didn't buy into the "national ranking" crap for the Orlando Mickeys when they started off 14-0. Thus I can't claim to be in total shock that they have now lost 5 in a row, and reside in the CUSA cellar alone. Yet a spanking like this begs the question of how the hell they managed to win those other games.

BYU 71 - San Diego State 58 = To a much lesser degree, the same point applies here. OK, I never expected the Aztecs to go undefeated all year, as I don't expect any team to do so these days. And though I never thought they were the 4th best team in the nation, just as I still don't think the Cougars are the 9th best (and maybe even moving up from that), I did understand that SDSU could lose this game in Provo. Yet they didn't just lose it . . . they got beat, but good. Go figure.

Charleston 65 - Georgia Southern 61 = And this one's somewhat surprising, since I feel Charleston is a much better team, is amongst the class of the Southern Conference,and should have chased GS off the court . . . even if that court was in Statesboro. Well, a win's a win, I reckon. Speaking of which . . .

ODU 51 - Georgia State 48 = This is pretty much the same story in the CAC, and the Monarchs nearly cacked it up. Again, a win's a win, but still. And still speaking of such . . .

UNC 74 - Miami 71 = Another league contender, in another league, just squeaking by a bottom-feeder in a road game. The Heels fell behind big early, but made a run to close the gap. Harrison Barnes hit a 3 at the halftime buzzer to tie it at 39 going into the break, and hit a 3 with 6.6 seconds left to give Carolina its winning margin. Those were his only 2 treys for the game, so I guess he deserves some props for picking the right spots. Once more, a win's a win. And while we're on the subject . . .

Murray State 67 - SIU Edwardsville 61 = Joe's Racers tried too damn hard to p!$$ this away. SIU-E is a pig of the independents, and has only won 4 D-1 games all year. For this one to be a 2-possession victory . . . well, again, it is better than a 1-possession loss, but not by much. Speaking of which . . .

Jacksonville 63 - North Florida 62 (OT) = OK, so maybe I will give the Dolphins a bit of a pass on this one. On the surface, one might think they should have totally outclassed the Ospreys, as their 13-6 record shames NF's 8-13 one. But look closer. The Ospreys came in 5-4 in the Atlantic Sun, as opposed to J'ville's 6-3. That's no significant diff. Furthermore, the Osprey losses include ones to Florida State, Pitt, Missouri, Purdue, Texas, Maryland, and Kansas State . . . not to mention good teams like Furman, Belmont, and Lipscomb. With experience like that, it no surprise they gave Jacksonville such a good game.

Louisville 55 - West Virginia 54 = And aside from the disgracefully low score, I will give both teams a pass on this one. I expected it to be a war, and it was.

SMU 59 - Tulsa 58 = I could say exactly the same thing here, but why bother? I tend to repeat myself enough already.

Northern Iowa 71 - Creighton 66 = The NIU Panthers kept at least some hope alive that they may get a shot at repeating their NCAA magic of last season by keeping pace in the Missouri Valley Conference. But they still must face all 3 of the other MVC contenders, so they'd better not stub their toes upon the also-rans.


Tonight's line-up includes even more vital conference action, including:


Michigan State vs. Michigan = Alright, so maybe this one's not all that vital. The Wolverines want it so as to stay out of the Big Ten basement, and the Spartans don't wish to drop out of a tie for 5th. Yet when you consider the fact that, at 12-7 and 4-3, MSU is STILL ranked 25th in the country, what difference does it really make. It seems as if they could lose a few more, and perhaps even move up the standings. :rolleyes:

Hofstra vs. VCU = But there's no doubt this one's a biggie. Both of them are 8-1 in the CAC, just above George Mason and ODU. So both of them want the win badly. As it is down in Richmond, give the Rams a slim edge over the Pride. Still, it could go either way, and should be a real good one.

Maryland vs. Virginia = And here, the dreams of both for a NCAA bid is quickly becoming a fantasy. They are both 2-3 in ACC play, and have perhaps too much work to do to earn a slot come March. Tonight could be the first step up for one, and will be another step down for the other. They play it in Charlottesville, so the Cavs might be favored by a bucket or so.

Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State = The Comms are still on the national radar, while the Bulldogs are not. Yet they are both 2-2 in SEC play, while MSU is actually in a better position in the West division than is Vandy in the (admittedly tougher) East. Even though the game is in Starksville, I have to go with Vandy here. I think they are a better team, and I KNOW they are a more experienced one. The 'Dawgs have not beaten a quality opponent all year . . . and mainly because they really haven't PLAYED a quality opponent all year, unless you count spankings by Virginia Tech, Washington State, St. Mary's, Alabama, and Georgia as "experience".

Austin Peay vs. Eastern Kentucky = The AP Governors want to keep pace with Tennessee State atop the OVC, and the Colonels can't afford to drop any lower than they are at present. They are the host, and as neither team seems to be that much better or worse than the other, it should be tight throughout.

Rider vs. Iona = And although the Fairfield Stags are ahead of both the Broncos and the Gaels in the MAAC (just barely, but still), both teams want to stay in touch with the lead. In their first meeting, Iona took it 100-96. These are good squads, so expect another fight to the finish.

Duke vs. Boston College = These are good squads too, and even though it is in Durham you can give the Eagles a shot at pulling off the upset, and remain in the hunt for the ACC. I wouldn't bet on it, as the Blue Devils are hard to beat in Cameron, but we should have a fairly decent game here.

UCLA vs. Arizona = Here are two storied programs, and at 5-2 both are still in the Pac-10 race. I think the desert 'Cats have played a little better, and this one is in Tucson to boot. I figure AZ by maybe three possessions.

Illinois vs. Indiana = OK, so I really don't give the Hoosiers much of a chance here, even in Bloomington. However, the Illini have lost 3 road games in a row, and their 14-6 record (though not as bad as Michigan State's 12-7) scarcely seems to justify their Top 20 rating. But hey, what do I know? Well, I know Indiana will show up, and may even give them game.

St. Mary's vs. Gonzaga = The Gaels are coming off a loss to Vandy, and a loss of their brief national ranking, yet at 5-0 hold a slim lead over surprising San Francisco in the West Coast Conference. Even more surprising, Gonzaga is a passable 13-7 overall, and at 3-2 in WCC play is tied for 3rd with Santa Clara . . . and not at their accustomed zenith. These factors make this a huge game for both schools, and I'd expect barns to be burning in Spokane tonight.


That's all for me today. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

You're right; the Racers....Arrrgh!

Go Eastern!!!!!

The Vandy game is pretty good, so far.

Michigan/Michigan St started off good, but Michigan is starting to trounce them late in the 2nd.

[jcruse64]

Wow! Good finish to the Mich vs Mich St game.

[SD Beerman]

I think SDSU will be fine, not much you can do with Fredette shooting like that.

[The Poet]

Would you farkin' believe it? I just spent the last hour typing my post, and as I got to the last entry some non-English speaking bozoette came in here to play a stinkin' dollar on the stinkin' lottery, and I lost the whole damn thing!

I'll play some catch-up tomorrow. I'm just to p!$$ed off at the moment to do anything but cuss.

[The Poet]

So lemme put on a full-court press and play a little catch-up here. First, some replies:

Wow! Good finish to the Mich vs Mich St game.

I'm not sure Tom Izzo would agree with you on that. :r

I think SDSU will be fine, not much you can do with Fredette shooting like that.

I agree with both assessments. I'm not worried about the Aztecs still winning their share, and earning a bid at the least. Can they then make a "George Mason" or even a "Butler" run? We will see. As for dealing with a hot shooter, you can always adopt the Duke defense for one . . . break his nose with your elbow. :D

I'll check on early games, and be back with more soon.

[The Poet]

Already today, Temple has stomped St. Joe's 72-54 . . . as might have been expected. The Hawks have been awfully dovey this year, and are no match for the Owls.

Xavier has a modest 7-point lead over Richmond starting the 2nd half. It is far from safe, and I figure this one will go down to the wire.

U. Conn and Louisville just started the 2nd up in Storrs, and the Huskies hold a meaningless 3-point edge. They may hold on for a victory, but I expect another war here.

For some reason, George Mason is having more trouble with William&Mary than I thought, and only lead by 8. They will likely run away in the second, but who knows?

Clemson, playing in Littlejohn, hold a surprising 9-point lead over Florida State at the half. I'm not surprised that the Tigers are giving the Semiholes game, but the fact that FSU scored only 18 in that first 20 minutes is not a good sign for an ACC-leading team, even on the road.

Georgetown has built a 8-point lead at Villanova, but it's still early in the second. Whoh, as I was typing that, it moved to 11 points. 'Nova better wake up, as they are not capable of catching up too much against the Hoya D.

Early in the first, Mississippi State has a slim lead over Florida. The Gators have the talent and the time to do whatever needs to be done down in Starkville, so this one means nothing yet.


I'll be back a bit later.

[The Poet]

OK, while I'm waiting to see what happens in those games, why don't I get some old business out of the way? Thursday night:


Michigan 61 - Michigan State 57 = Yeah, I know the young Wolverines have started to play a little better. Yeah, I know the Spartans have been folding up like a cheap suit. But for them to lose on their home court, and fall to 12-8 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten? Who'd have thunk? I know one thing for sure . . . if the Spartans are still ranked come Monday, I'm calling for a congressional investigation. Yet give credit to UM for a very good win. Staying with surprises in the B-10 . . .

Indiana 52 - Illinois 49 = I did feel as though the Hoosiers could hang tough on their own floor with the Illini, but I really never thought they could win. Good for them, for sad to say, wins like this is about all IU has had to cheer about of late.

VCU 82 - Hofstra 67 = And although the outcome was no shock, the size of the margin is one. I figured the Rams might win, but for them to spank the Pride like this, and take 1st place in the CAC with so little juice in the game . . . well, I would never believe it.

Rider 61 - Iona 59 = This one was precisely what I thought it would be: A tough tight one that either one could take.

Vanderbilt 81 - Mississippi State 74 = But I called this one, so it was no surprise at all. As I said, Vandy is a better team. However, the win is meaningful for one thing more than the conference race . . . this was the first Commodore win in Starkville in a long time, and broke a 8-loss streak there. Speaking of breaking losing streaks . . .

St. Mary's 73 - Gonzaga 71 = Not only did this give the Gaels an extra leg up over the traditional WCC champ, it was their first win in Spokane since 1995. But if you think that is something . . .

Oregon 67 - Stanford 59 = This was the Ducks first win at the Cardinal since 1986, for cryin' out loud! Not only that, but Stanford has played much better overall than the Ducks, so here's one I would have never guessed.


So now, I've done some of what I didn't get done yesterday, and cut the deficit to single digits. I'll try to get ahead after the break.

[The Poet]

Louisville and U. Conn are tied at 61 in OT. 'Nova is a point behind G'town with 1:59 to go. One final:


Clemson 62 - Florida State 44 = A big win for the Tigers, and an even bigger loss for FSU. This is their 2nd in the ACC, and if my Heels can take the Wolfpack in the Dean Dome (it just tipped off) that would leave them and Dook as the only 1-loss teams in league play. It's still too early to mean much, but it's better than being in the basement.

[The Poet]

Louisville/U. Conn going to 2 OTs . . . at least. Another final:

Georgetown 69 - Villanova 66 = A very good win for the Hoyas, and a loss that should drop 'Nova from the Top Ten.

[The Poet]

Well, the good new is the Tar Heels have a decent lead over N. C. State at the half, 34-21. The bad news is, it should really be a lot bigger, had they not missed so many layups and tip-ins, and had they gone better that 2-11 from the charity stripe. In other action:


Louisville 79 - U. Conn 78 (2OT) = A very nice one for Pitino's guys up in Storrs. So even if the Huskies remain at 5th in the nation, they now are at best 3rd in the Big Mouth.

Mississippi State 71 - Florida 64 = So far, it's not a good day for the Sunshine State. I can't say I am surprised that the Gators lost, seeing as how inconsistent they have played, but there's still not much of an excuse for losing to these 'Dawgs. Hey, they ain't terrible, but they are not all that good either.

Purdue 73 - Minnesota 61 = The Boilermakers are another of those teams you just can't figure out. Then again, it's not as if the Gophers have been knocking people's eyes out either.

[JaKaacH]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v624/jkach/Funnys/KUtatoo.jpg

[The Poet]

More finals:


Baylor 70 - Colorado 66 = The Bears make a furious comeback to steal one from the Buffales, outscoring them 49-31 in the 2nd half. They really needed a good win like this.

Auburn 79 - South Carolina 64 = What? Are you kidding me? And in Columbia, no less! The Tigers purely suck, and the 'Cocks have been stiff competition all year. This one I just don't get, at all.

[The Poet]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v624/jkach/Funnys/KUtatoo.jpg

Nice ink. I'm not sure what Phog Allen would think about it, but I know what Dean Smith would say: "Cover up!" :r

[The Poet]

Unless my Heels find some way to blow a 20+ point lead in the last 2 1/2 minutes, they will take one from the Wolfpack.

[The Poet]

UNC 84 - NCSU 64 = It has been a while, but Roy got a chance to clear the bench late in this game. Barnes finally had a decent game, scoring 25 points, while 3 other Heels scored in double-digits also. If this team ever truly finds its feet, this will be the problem opponents will face, because they have a lot of scoring options . . . when they can score at all.

Oh, and at 5-1 now, they are a half-game ahead of FSU, and a half-game behind idle (in league play, that is) Dook for the ACC lead.

[The Poet]

This one's a bit of a surprise:


Nebraska 57 - Texas A&M 48 = So what if the game was in Lincoln? The 'Huskers have been "meh" at best, while the Aggies have beed pretty good. I did not see this coming.


Oh, and Syracuse is having problems with Marquette, though with 13 minutes left there's still plenty of time for them to erase a 7-point deficit

[The Poet]

There was a ton of good action this weekend, and a good number of surprises also. Aside from those already noted above, this happened in the balance of Saturday games:


UCLA 73 - Arizona State 72 (OT) = This can be considered a surprise on several fronts. First, the Bruins have been playing better than the Sun Devils, so they maybe should not have had as much trouble with them as they did. And second, UCLA was still supposed to be a year or two away from competing in the Pac-10, yet with this victory they improve to 6-3, and are only a game back of leaders Arizona and Washington.

Marquette 76 - Syracuse 70 = It is no longer a shock that the Orange lost, as this is their 4th in a row. It is also no shock that Marquette beat them, as they have played well at times this year. What is surprising, however, is that this loss puts the 'Cuse in a 4-way tie for 7th place in the Big Mouth. Two weeks ago, who'd a thunk?

Kentucky 66 - Georgia 60 = And it is really no surprise that the Wildcats got some revenge for their earlier loss to the Bulldogs down in Athens. Yet when one considers that they are generally considered to be a Top 20 team, it is a bit odd that they managed only a 2-possession win in Rupp. Hey, it's still a good win, and better than a loss for sure, but still.

Marshall 85 - Memphis 70 = And although I have lost all faith that the young Tigers will ever get it together this season, this is one I'd not have guessed. OK, the Herd has played some good ball from time to time, and a close victory would not have been unforeseen. But this approaches a spanking.

New Mexico 86 - BYU 77 = So does this one. Again, I realize the Lobos have had some success, and for them to edge the traditionally overranked Cougars on their home court is no biggie. But a 3-possession win, when BYU has a shooter who can score 77 points himself ( :D ) . . . well, let's just say I wouldn't have bet on this.

Ohio State 58 - Northwestern 57 = Here we have the second-biggest shock of the weekend. The Buckeyes dodge another bullet by getting a steal with 17 seconds left, then breaking a tie with the traditional dog of the Big Ten by hitting one from the line. They improve to 22-0, and even earned more than half of those victories. :r

Penn State 56 - Wisconsin 52 = So maybe this is no longer a reason for surprise. Not only is this the Nittany Lions' 3rd win against a nationally-ranked conference opponent, but they lost 2 others, to OSU and Purdue, by a combined 4 points. However, this is the first time they have beaten the Badgers since 2003, which has to mean something anyway. Furthermore, if they can steal a few moe wins and get themselves a bid to the NCAAs, they will be one of those 10-seeds you do NOT want to face that first weekend.

Portland 85 - St. Mary's 70 = Earlier the Gaels gained a ranking, and grabbed control over the WCC race by beating Gonzaga. Well, they spat the bit here. OK, so they are still atop league play, but they have opened the door they just slammed shut a tiny crack here.

Pitt 65 - Rutgers 62 = This one is nearly as bad a win as was the Buckeye one above. There is no way the Scarlet Knights should have been a shot away from taking this game, and the Panthers are lucky they got out of Jersey alive. Hey, they wouldn't be the first!

UAB 74 - UCF 69 = Speaking of Knights, the Orlando Mickeys continue to plunge into the depths. I have no problem believing UAB beat them. Yet when a team wins 14 in a row, then goes on a 6-game losing streak, something is not right.

Arkansas 89 - Vanderbilt 78 = Once again, I've seen enough of Vandy's up-and-down play to understand how they could lose to the Hogs . . . who have themselves played a few good games. But to lose by 11, in Nashville no less? I thought these guys were smarter than that.

Wake Forest 76 - Virginia 71 = What's that? The Demon Deacons actually won an ACC game? Really? Wow. They are on a roll now, and look to improve on their 8-13 record. ;)


There were even a few puzzlers on Sunday, most notably:


St. John's 93 - Duke 78 = And if you saw this game, you know it wasn't even that close. The Blue Devils needed a flurry of late 3s to even get the final score up to "embarrassing". Last year's National Championship team was often described by experts as being "spectacularly unathletic", and from what I saw they are just as stunningly so this year. The Red Storm out-quicked and out-hustled them all game long, and totally deserved a great victory for them by dominating the game from tip to buzzer.

Washington State 87 - Washington 80 = Though not nearly the shocker as the one above, this one surprises me a bit too. Hey, I don't believe the Huskies are all that good, but I also don't think the Cougars are any damn good either. It is as good a win for them as the one for the Johnnies, and as a conference one, it is even more meaningful.

Michigan State 84 - Indiana 83 (OT) = In East Lansing, keep in mind. Now, the Hoosiers are not the worst team in the Big Ten, but they are pretty damned close. And although, as always, a win is better than is a loss, I would not be surprised if Tom Izzo is developing a serious drinking problem. If he pulls out any more of his hair, he might be drinking Rogaine.

Maryland 74 - Georgia Tech 63 = And what is possibly surprising about this one? Everybody knows the Terps are a fairly decent team, and the Jackets have struggled most of their games. Still, it is important to note that this is their first conference loss in Atlanta, so give them some props for holding serve up to now, and UM some for breaking it.


There is not a lot of top-class action scheduled for tonight, but still there are two big games for you:


Louisville vs. Georgetown = The Cardinals want to stay within reach of league-leading Pitt, while the Hoyas don't wish to drop to .500 in the conference. The teams, and the coaches, are fairly evenly matched, so I'd expect a tight one, start to finish, down in DC.

Texas vs. Texas A&M = And it is pretty much the same story down in College Station, although the Longhorns are 6-0 with the Aggies two back at 4-2 in Big 12 play. They'd better check their guns at the door for this war, pardner.


That's all for me until tomorrow, brothers. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Heh, heh....Duke.....

[The Poet]

Heh, heh....Duke.....

Your glee reminds me of that "Glee" quote from last season: "I hate Duke like I hate the Nazis". Boy, did THAT one p!$$ off Colonel Klink . . . uh, I mean, Coach K. :D

[The Poet]

Well, that Texas/Texas A&M game was a disappointment, unless you're a diehard 'Horn. I had hoped for a better contest, but seems the Aggies didn't make it back to the barn. It's one thing to lose by 20 points. It's quite another when your opponent only scored 69, and you lose by 20 points.

Still, there were a few good games last night, including:


Georgetown 62 - Louisville 59 = Now that's more like it, although it was an ugly, ugly game for both teams. Poor shooting and turnovers were the most significant stats, and that's never a good thing. And the Hoyas tried to give the Cardinals another miracle come-fro-behind victory by blowing most of an 11-point lead to make it a game. But Pitino's gone to that well all too often lately, and it wasn't in the Cards last night. A badly-needed conference win for the Hoyas . . . who move into 7th place all by their lonesome. :rolleyes:

Fairfield 70 - Canisius 55 = OK, so this one wasn't nearly as close. However, it does get the Stags to 10-1 in MAAC play, with a full 2-game lead over St. Peter's, so that alone makes it notable.

Norfolk State 110 - Coppin State 108 (2OT) = And this one means nothing at all, as we are unlikely to hear about either of these teams come March . . . or as far as that goes, any other team from the Mid-Eastern Conference, for more than 20 minutes or so. So why not give them some press now? Both squads wanted to stay in contention for their league lead, and neither wanted to lose. Good show from them, and thanks for playing.


There are a decent number of meaningful games scheduled for tonight (I say "scheduled", as poor weather may cause some postponements), including:


Purdue vs. Wisconsin = At 7-2 in Big Ten play, it looks unlikely that the Boilermakers can take the top spot from 9-0 Ohio State unless the Buckeyes give them a lot of help. But they can go a long way towards securing the 2nd spot by giving the Badgers their 4th conference loss tonight, and thus drop them into a scrum for the 3-hole. It won't be easy. Wisconsin is a tough team to play even when they suck, and they don't suck this year. Plus, it's in Madison. Plus plus, Purdue ain't exactly been world-beaters so far, especially on offense. Luckily for them, you usually don't have to score a ton against the glacial Badgers, so maybe they have a slim edge there. Yet this one can go either way, and I expect a tight one.

Penn State vs. Illinois = Here are two of those Big Ten "scrum" teams mentioned above, with both of them having 4 league losses so far. It goes without saying that they don't want another tonight. These two teams seem to be heading in opposite directions. The Illini have dropped 4 or their last 5, and have dropped from national ranking also. On the surface, it might seem as though PSU is not much more successful, being a .500-team since the first of the year. Yet this includes a number of wins nobody expected them to get, and a number of razor-close losses to the teams atop the conference. If the Nittany Lions can make it to Champaign for the game, it may just be a good one.

Vanderbilt vs. Florida = Vandy is one of only two SEC teams presently ranked nationally, yet is mired in the middle of the East division with a 3-3 league record. The Gators have yo-yo'ed between good and crap all year (as has the Comms, to be fair), yet at 5-2 lead that same division over that other ranked team, UK (4-2). To be totally honest, I can't figure out either one of these teams. Flip a coin.

New Mexico vs. Air Force = The Lobos are coming off a huge win for them, beating BYU this past weekend. The Falcons, on the other hand, needed OT to edge the bottom-feeding TCU Horned Frogs by a point. Yet they are tied in Mountain West play with 3-4 records. Even though this one's in the Rockies and not the desert, I'd go with the Lobos.

Kentucky vs. Mississippi = The Wildcats travel down to Oxford to challenge the Rebels. I can't see it being much of one. Calipari is whining that his bench is paper-thin . . . as if he didn't ask for that by recruiting one-and-dones and semi-pros. Well, he should not need a bench against Ole Miss. Sure, they could possibly maybe somehow perhaps give them a game. I don't expect that, but stranger things have happened.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma = The Bears have been another of those inconsistent teams, following a good game with a poor one. The Sooners have been much more consistent . . . consistently bad, that is. Sure, they have one quality win over Colorado, but otherwise they have pretty much sucked, start to finish. If I had any faith in Baylor at all, I'd bet the farm on them tonight. But as I don't, I won't. I figure they will win, and maybe even big, but they have squirted games away before.

Kansas vs. Texas Tech = And here's the other big match . . . or should I say mis-match . . . in the Big 12 tonight. The Jayhawks take their 1-loss record down to Lubbock to take on the 11-11 Red Raiders. If KU gets their 2nd loss tonight, Bill Self should make the team walk back to Lawrence.

Wichita State vs. Indiana State = The Shockers want this bad, as a win would assure they will stay at worst tied for 1st place in the Missouri Valley. The Sycamores want it just a bad, as a win would keep them in contention, thus giving them some post-season hopes despite their 12-10 overall record. If the game is not iced over in Terre Haute tonight, it should be a real good one.

North Carolina vs. Boston College = This is a huge game for the Tar Heels, as a victory up in Chestnut Hill would tie them with Duke at 6-1 atop the ACC, and also drop BC to .500 at 4-4. A win would also build on the momentum, minimal though it be, which has crept them back into the rankings. But a win won't be easy. The Eagles have talent, and the home court, and have won the last few meetings with UNC. It might go down to the wire.

Wake Forest vs. Florida State = Speaking of momentum, the Demon Deacons got their 1st ACC win against Virginia Saturday, and are hungry for more. Meanwhile, the Semiholes took their 2nd conference loss against Clemson, scoring only a putrid 44 points in Littlejohn. Do I think the Deacs can deek their way to another league win down in Tallahassee tonight? No way in hell. But hey, I guess most anything is possible with the power of prayer, so "Go Deacs!"


That's it for now. Feel free to toss your own :2 in here, as it is worth as much as my ravings. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Well, the Cards/Hoyas game was a fight, for sure!

Duke....heh,heh... St. Johns did look pretty good there.

The Cats are being tested in Oxford, and the 2nd half is about to start...

[The Poet]

Well, the Cards/Hoyas game was a fight, for sure!

Duke....heh,heh... St. Johns did look pretty good there.

The Cats are being tested in Oxford, and the 2nd half is about to start...


1. You'd think Rick Pitino might have learned something from Rex Ryan's Jets . . . you can't pull them all out of your butt.

2. I'm old enough to remember when the Redmen (as they were called in pre-PC days past) were perennial powers. But when they improved their campus by building dormatories, they lost a huge NYC-area recruiting advantage, and fell on hard times. See, before they had on-campus housing, the NCAA rules let them provide "housing allowances" for the players, which meant they could legally give local players money to pay rent . . . even if they elected to live at home and commute as day-students. Since that time, they have not been able to lure as much local talent, and have fallen on hard times as a national power. Yet as far as I'm concerned, it is good to see them making some sort of comeback. I'm a bit of a traditionalist, meaning I like to see them win, and U. Conn lose 20 games a year. :r

3. The 'Cats failed that test, as my update will explain. I'll be back later with that, and others.

[The Poet]

So I've goofed around long enough, and need to get to this. Scores of note (to me, anyway) from last night includes one stunner:


Mississippi 71 - Kentucky 69 = The Rebels hit a late 3 to steal one at home against the Wildcats. I did not think they had a chance at beating UK, which is just one more indication of how dumb I am. Maybe Cal was right to whine about his lack of depth.

Wichita State 70 - Indiana State 54 = Though I am not shocked that the Shockers won the game, I did feel it would be a lot closer than this. The win puts them 1/2-game up in the MVC, and drops the Sycamores into 4th.

Wisconsin 66 - Purdue 59 = But I can't say I'm even a bit surprised by this. I espected a low-scoring and tight contest, and we got one. It would have been even tighter had the 'Makers made more shots, as they only managed to score 19 in the first half.

Florida 65 - Vanderbilt 61 (OT) = Well, I told you to flip a coin on this one, since both teams have been suffering from ADD all season long. They will win a few, then lose a few, then win, then lose, then win. But at least they are consistently inconsistent.

Kansas 88 - Texas Tech 66 = And I also told you this would be no contest at all. The Jayhawks improve to 6-1 in the Big 12. However, if they want to catch Texas (7-0) they not only have to continue to win their games, they will need some help from somebody else. They have no head-to-head with the Longhorns left on their schedule. Their best bet? Hope that Rick Barnes pulls his traditional crap, and blows a few from the bench. :D

North Carolina 106 - Boston College 74 = And I told you that this one might go down to the wire. Again, how dumb am I? The Heels spanked the Eagles up in Boston, and Harrison Barnes topped his newly-minted season high set against NCSU Saturday by scoring 26. UNC moves into a tie with Duke atop the ACC, and if they get some help from the Terps tonight, they shall own it alone. Have they turned things around? It's still too early for me to say that . . . lemme see them squash ten or twelve more teams first. ;)


There is a bunch of action scheduled tonight, barring more postponements due to weather. For instance, last night's Baylor/Oklahoma game was moved to this afternoon, with the Bears owning a 5-point bulge at the half. Other games include:


Minnesota vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers did manage to beat Illinois in Bloomington, so they are certainly capable of beating the Gophers too. I don't see it happening, but remember . . . I did not see Ole Miss beating UK either.

West Virginia vs. Seton Hall = And the Pirates absolutely crushed the Orange in the Dome not long ago, so they too have a shot in Morgantown. Yet again, I don't expect that to happen.

Hofstra vs. George Mason = Both of these want to stay as near the top of the CAC as possible, and with their competition for that lead playing the "have-nots" of the league, they both will want this win tonight. I look for a close fight to the finish in Fairfax.

Syracuse vs. U. Conn = This may be the premier marquee matchup of the night up in icy Hartford (as opposed to snowbound Syracuse). After winning their first 18, the 'Cuse has dropped 4 in a row. It gets no easier for them tonight. Then again, it might not be so easy for the Huskies either, coming off their homecourt heartbreaker against Louisville. I dunno why, but I have a feeling Boeheim will turn his boys around this evening.

Villanova vs. Marquette = And I'd expect this one to be as good a game as the one above. These two are pretty even, and either is capable of playing a good game. 'Nova has home court, so maybe they have the slight edge. But they just lost to the Hoyas in Philly, and thus I'd not bet the farm on it.

Virginia Tech vs. N.C. State = The Wolfpack is coming off that whuppin' by the Heels in Chapel Hill, and are probably glad to be in Raleigh tonight. The Hokies have, at times, played much better than NCSU, yet they have had some problems on the road. It does not look as if either team will make a serious move in the ACC, but both look to still be in contention for post-season play, be it NCAA, NIT, or one of those "Hunh?" tourneys. This one might be better than you'd think.

BYU vs. Wyoming = And this one should be over by the half. I don't care if it's in Laramie or not, and I don't care that I consider BYU to be grossly over-rated . . . the Coyboys don't have the horses to corral the Cougars. But while we're on the subject, explain this one to me . . . the Stormin' Mormans lost their last game to an unranked New Mexico squad, after beating rival San Diego State in the previous game. Subsequently, the Aztecs drop from 4th to 7th in the national ranks, while the Cougars drop from 9th to . . . 8th? What? And just how many votes does Joseph Smith get? Hey, it's not as if I really care all that much about this ranking nonsense, but I'd at least hope for some sensible nonsense.

Alabama vs. Mississippi State = The Tide is on top of the SEC West, and when you consider their overall 13-7 record, they'd better stay there if they want to Dance come March. The Bulldogs are coming off a huge win against the Gators, which got them to .500 in league play, and up a step above garbage with their 11-9 mark. This might just be the smallest of the big games this evening, for I don't think it much matters who wins . . . they both have a fairly high stinkage rating.

UTEP vs. UCF = I find this game interesting for two reasons. First, I wonder if, after opening their season 14-0, can the Orlando Mickeys ever win another game? Second, UTEP is involved in a 7-team logjam for the CUSA crown, with all 7 clustered between 5-2 and 4-3 in league play. Others in that dogpile include:

Southern Mississippi vs. UAB = As you might gather from the above, this one is vital for both teams to keep them in that dogpile cited above. Plus, it is just as vital for . . .

SMU vs. East Carolina = And if that's not enough to get your attention, consider that . . .

Memphis vs. Tulsa = . . . all 7 of those CUSA teams are in action tonight, with 6 of them going head-to-head! Although you can't honestly call this "Moving Day", you may get some idea of how big a night it might be for these guys. Whatever you do, stay tuned.

Nebraska vs. Kansas State = The Cornhuskers, believe it or not, have actually played some pretty decent ball lately, losing close ones to Missouri and Kansas, and beating Texas A&M by 9 points. Meanwhile, the disintegration of K-State continues, for not only have they lost 5 of their last 7 games, their top underclassman Wally Judge has just quit the team. What with their best players graduating after this season, this means that next year may be as much a challenge to them at this one has become. Don't forget . . . before the season started, many "experts" pencilled them into the Final Four! (To be fair, Michigan State was also considered chalk, so that shows you what the experts know.) I'm not going to say the 'Huskers will take this one in that other Manhattan, but I will say I won't be shocked if they do.

Iowa vs. Michigan State = And speaking of the Spartans, they'd better do something quick if they want to keep Izzo's NCAA streak alive. Tonight's game in Iowa City would be a good place for them to start, since, as bad as MSU has been, the Hawkeyes have been worse . . . much worse.

Duke vs. Maryland = In College Park, and for some strange reason, not in Cameron! So despite appearances to the contrary, the Blue Devils actually DO play road games! Speaking of which, they are coming off that embarrassment to St. John's in MSG on Sunday, and it is hard to predict how that will affect them tonight. Sometimes it focuses a team, and sometimes it gives them a hangover. If the latter, the Terps are certainly capable of taking advantage of the situation, dropping Dook below the Heels in the ACC. I don't expect that, but it would not surprise me . . . and one can always hope. ;)

Clemson vs. Virginia = The Cavs are pretty much out of that race already, but the Tigers are lumped in with 3 others for 4th, so they still have an outside shot. When one considers that the other 2 teams in that "lump" also play tonight . . . the aforementioned Hokies and Terps . . . one can see that this is almost as big a night in the ACC as it is in the CUSA.

Georgia vs. Arkansas = The Bulldogs, at 3-4, are in the basement of the SEC East. The Hogs, at 4-3, are near the top of the SEC West. Does anybody but me consider this whole "East/West" dichotomy in the SEC to be totally bogus? Hey, there's only 12 teams total, so it's not exactly like there's any justifiable reason for it. Regardless, they are both decent teams, and this one down in Fayetteville should be a lot of fun.

Missouri vs. Oklahoma State = The Missou Tigers, ranked 14th in the country, are closer to the basement of the Big 12 than they are to the lead with their 3-3 conference mark. A few more league losses, such as in their upcoming TWO meetings with Kansas, and they may even drop out of the Top Twenty. Oak State has a shot at giving them another in Stillwater tonight, for although they have lost 5 of their last 6, they have beaten a few good teams this year. I wouldn't bet on them winning tonight, but most anything can happen in conference play, on any given night.

San Diego State vs. Colorado State = Such as the Rams giving the Aztecs their 2nd loss of the season in Fort Collins tonight. Hey, SDSU may be the young darling of this season, but those Rams have played pretty good ball also . . . on occasion, anyway. Plus, I am always a bit leery when a "sea-level" team suits up for a mile-high game. Keep your eye on this one . . . if you can keep your eyes open at all that late in the evening.

USC vs. UCLA = Here's another interesting late-night contest for you. Maybe the Bruins aren't back, but they are only one game back in the Pac. I'd give them the edge no paper over the Trojans even if it wasn't in Pauley, but as it will be played on a Wooden court, I think they won't need OT like they did against ASU to take the win.

Utah State vs. Nevada = People have started talking about the Aggies, not only because they already have a 3-game lead in the WAC (for what that's worth, considering it is jammed with teams just above or well below .500), but because since they lost to Georgetown 'way back on Dec. 4th they have not lost, and bring a 15-game streak onto their home court tonight. I don't expect the crappy Pack to snap it this evening. Fact is, as they really don't play any serious competition until they face St. Mary's on the 19th, they will likely extend that streak for a while yet. Still, that does not make them a Top TwentyFive team, and if you believe they are . . . well, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you.



By the way, in case you are interested, the Sooners had a huge 2nd half down in Norman, and beat Baylor 73-66. Not only is this a good win for Oklahoma, it just further muddles up that clusterfark in the middle of the Big 12 race. You can pencil Texas and Kansas in at the top, but the rest of it will take a looooooong time to shake out.

That's all for now. Hey, ain't that enough? As always, enjoy.

[acarr]

No love for the Arizona Wildcats yet. That is ok we can stay under the radar for a while. I don't know that we have really won any notable games yet but I guess time will tell.

[jcruse64]

Freaking SEC this year....

Ole Miss put up a great fight, didn't give up after the press came, and held on for a good win for them. Why Cal didn't keep the press on after catching up....

No whining about your depth either, Johnny...your own fault. I liked the way Lamb looked though.

Well, Syracuse's streak is broken, finally.
OSU and Mizzou caught a snow plow and made it into the game tonight. Travis Ford's squad is up at the half.

Dook is laying it on the Terps right now.

[gettysburgfreak]

glad to see my hometown team the Cuse got their act together and finally pulled off a win, they needed that big time.

[The Poet]

No love for the Arizona Wildcats yet. That is ok we can stay under the radar for a while. I don't know that we have really won any notable games yet but I guess time will tell.

It seems as though the Pac-10 in general has gotten no respect the last few years. When you consider the success they had in the NCAA Tourney, much to the surprise of the "experts", it's a bit hard to justify . . . especially viewed in light of the respect given to the Mountain West, for far less reason. Well, so be it. But you're not the only one who feels rained on, since my Heels didn't receive any props either until last week's blowout of NCSU. Don't sweat it . . . things will shake out in the end, one way or the other.

Freaking SEC this year....

Ole Miss put up a great fight, didn't give up after the press came, and held on for a good win for them. Why Cal didn't keep the press on after catching up....

No whining about your depth either, Johnny...your own fault. I liked the way Lamb looked though.

Well, Syracuse's streak is broken, finally.
OSU and Mizzou caught a snow plow and made it into the game tonight. Travis Ford's squad is up at the half.

Dook is laying it on the Terps right now.

The SEC has half their teams on my "All Psycho" list, by which I mean I can't figure out which squad will show up from one game to the next, be it UK, Vandy, UT, Gators, Georgia 'Dogs, 'Cocks, you name 'em. And you're right that Cal has nobody to blame for his lack of depth aside from himself. I wonder if he yet regrets saying on Draft Day, when 5 of his players went in the first round, that it was "the greatest day in Kentucky history". :r

You knew the 'Cuse would not lose them all from here on out, and to beat the Huskies in Hartford was a great way for them to break their streak. As for Oak State and Missou . . . well, the Coyboys showed up for the game anyway, even if the Tigers didn't. ;)

And as for K's kids, I kinda figured he'd get them on track quickly after that stinker in the Garden. Besides, Gary Williams rarely seems to keep his teams on the rails for long.

glad to see my hometown team the Cuse got their act together and finally pulled off a win, they needed that big time.

No doubt they needed the W. But what they really need is for Boeheim to hire a defensive-minded assistant who can teach their talent how to mix it up on D, and not depend on the same-old same-old each and every night.


Update to follow.

[The Poet]

Too much to cover, and too little time.


Syracuse 66 - U. Conn 58 = As noted, a big and badly-needed win for the Orange. And as for the Huskies, this drops the supposedly # 6 team in the nation to a tie for # 8 in the Big Mouth Conference, and a whole 1/2-game ahead of St. John's.

Oklahoma State 76 - Missouri 70 = Also as noted, a nice victory for the Cowboys, but it only drops the # 14 team into a tie for 7th in the Big 12. Does anybody but me pay any attention to stuff like this?

Indiana 60 - Minnesota 57 = But the Golden Gophers should consider themselves lucky in comparision. This huge win by the Hoosiers only puts the # 18 team into a tie for 5th in the Big Ten, and at 5-5 only 4 1/2 out of the league lead.

Iowa 72 - Michigan State 52 = So, not only did the Hoosiers get their 3rd conference victory, the Hawkeyes got their 2nd against a Spartan team that has completely fallen off the map. All of a sudden, it seems as if Tom Izzo wants to try and copy Roy Williams' run of last year.

Duke 80 - Maryland 62 = The Blue Devils rebound from their recent whipping to give pretty much the same to the Terps, and regain the top of the ACC over my Heels by a 1/2-game.

Georgia 60 - Arkansas 59 = In the short run, this win by the 'Dawgs over the Hogs means very little, since they both are wallowing in the SEC. But over the long haul, both will need all of these they can get to earn an at-large come March. They both may make it anyway, yet better safe than sorry.

Charlotte 66 - Xavier 62 = This one in the A-10 may have been the biggest upset of the evening. The Musketeers are fighting for the lead with Duquesne in the conference, while the 49ers have been digging a hole all year long. I don't care that this one was in The Queen City or not . . . there's no explaining it.

San Diego State 56 - Colorado State 54 = I had me a feeling this would be a close one, and as even a blind hog finds an acorn on occasion, I turned out to be right. The Aztecs eek out a win over a pesky flock of Rams, and keep their tie with BYU for the Mountain West. Speaking of which . . .

BYU 69 - Wyoming 62 = Are you kidding me? There are high-school teams who could beat Wyoming better than this. Hey, there are teams that stink, and others that purely suck. Last week the Cougars lost a game, and moved UP in the polls. A win like this one, and they need to move down.

Virginia 49 - Clemson 47 = Speaking of moving down, the Clemson Tigers were starting to get some notice nationally, especially after beating Florida State badly last weekend. Well, that's over with for now. This is a huge W for the Cavs, who with a 12-10 record have not had many.

Tulsa 68 - Memphis 65 = And at 12-10 themselves, this is equally huge for the Golden Hurricanes. As for the Tigers, their growing pains continue. However, they still remain in the hunt for the CUSA crown, and as nobody seems willing to step up and grab it, that race may go down to the wire.

Villanova 75 - Marquette 70 = And with the exception of league-leading Pitt, the same is true of the Big East. Would you believe that, below the Panthers, there are ten teams with conference records between 6-3 and 5-5? Talk about your dogfight!


There is some big-name action tonight, and some important conference action in the smaller leagues:

Valparaiso vs. Cleveland State = And this one in the Horizon is a big as the small ones get. Valpo is a 1/2-game back of the Vikings for the lead, so this road game is huge for them both.

IPFW vs. IUPUI = This alphabetical battle is also vital for both, as they fight for 2nd place in the Summit.

Wofford vs. Charleston = Here we have another key matchup, with two of the premier teams in the Southern Conference.

Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina = The Big South Conference here, and the same big game.

Belmont vs. Jacksonville = Once more, in the Atlantic Sun now.

Murray State vs. Tennessee State = And even once more, with Joe's Racers facing a key game in the Ohio Valley. All these games cited take on added significance when you realize that none of these conferences are likely to receive more than one bid to the NCAAs each, so they must make hay while the sun still shines on their hopes.

Ohio State vs. Michigan = OK, so one of these two teams is pretty confident that it will get themselves a ticket to The Dance. The other? Not so much. Yet the young Wolverines have started to play some decent ball of late, and they do have a shot at improving their odds by pulling off the upset tonight, and give the Buckeyes their 1st loss of the year. I don't expect it, but remember that they DID take Kansas to OT not so long ago . . . and remember how many games OSU has won by a point or three also.

Notre Dame vs. DePaul = And one of these teams thinks they have already earned a bid, whereas the other knows they'd have to steal the conference tournament crown to get one. I'm not saying the Irish already have the victory in hand, but I wouldn't bet a dime on the Blue Demons' chances.

Arizona vs. Stanford = And if the desert 'Cats want to get a bit more respect, they had better chop down that big-a$$ Tree out in NoCal this evening. I'd give them the edge, even on the road, but keep two things in mind: The Cardinal did edge Pac-10 co-leader Washington on home court, and whatever their talent may be, they are doubtlessly a LOT smarter than the guys from 'Zona. :r

Washington vs. Oregon State = The Huskies are on the road in Corvallis also, but I wouldn't expect the Beavers to give them much of a game. Shoot, they haven't given much of anybody one so far, so why start now? Oh wait . . . they did beat the "Rodney Dangerfield" Wildcats, didn't they. Nevermind. ;)

Gonzaga vs. Portland = These two teams are not where they wanted to be . . . mired in the middle of the WCC. Though both have played well from time to time, both have also dropped games they were not expected to lose. Neither one may make much noise for the rest of this season, yet both still have some hopes. So, no matter what else transpires after this evening, you can plan on a fight tonight.


I could do twice as much, both on last night's and tonight's action, but I'm out of time and out of energy. Feel free to post your own picks, brothers, and until later . . . enjoy.

[acarr]

Arizona vs. Stanford = And if the desert 'Cats want to get a bit more respect, they had better chop down that big-a$$ Tree out in NoCal this evening. I'd give them the edge, even on the road, but keep two things in mind: The Cardinal did edge Pac-10 co-leader Washington on home court, and whatever their talent may be, they are doubtlessly a LOT smarter than the guys from 'Zona. :r


Hey now, I will give them that. But lets say they are a lot smarter than the guys from most schools out there:sl Arizona will be in good shape as long as we take care of one of the bay area schools. In the Pac it is defend your home court and split on the road. As long as you do that, you are in good shape. Although, that is probably the case with most conferences out there.

[The Poet]

Hey now, I will give them that. But lets say they are a lot smarter than the guys from most schools out there:sl Arizona will be in good shape as long as we take care of one of the bay area schools. In the Pac it is defend your home court and split on the road. As long as you do that, you are in good shape. Although, that is probably the case with most conferences out there.

To be honest, I'm not sure I'd want a Final Four of Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, and Penn myself. Maybe Stanford, Dook, Vandy, and UNC, but not the former. ;)

[jcruse64]

Go Racers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:r One of these days, I'll pony up the $$$ to get expanded cable and get ESPN U ;).

THE OSU is getting a fight from Michigan. Pretty tight game at 14 minutes left in the 2nd.

The AP...I like that, and it certainly fits the SEC this season. It makes it competitive, I guess.

The Big East...who you think will win the conference????

[The Poet]

Go Racers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:r One of these days, I'll pony up the $$$ to get expanded cable and get ESPN U ;).

THE OSU is getting a fight from Michigan. Pretty tight game at 14 minutes left in the 2nd.

The AP...I like that, and it certainly fits the SEC this season. It makes it competitive, I guess.

The Big East...who you think will win the conference????

Yes, a good win for Murray State, which keeps them in contention for the OVC . . . and makes their Saturday game with Austin Peay huge. That game there, and with games with the other league leaders still on their schedule, it puts the Racers' fate in their own hands.

The Wolverines were able to give the Buckeyes a half, or even a half-and-a-half. Too bad for them they couldn't give them a complete game.

The SEC is not the only league with schizophrenic squads, but they do seem to have more than their share this season.

As for the Big East, I guess it depends on what you mean by "win the conference". I think Pitt will take the regular season, since they seem the most consistent. But when the conference tourney starts, they'll just toss it up and let them play, so it's anybody's guess.

Back soon with the update.

[The Poet]

It will be a short update today, for three reasons. One, only a couple of scores from last night were any surprise at all, so why bother with the others? Two, there's damn little action on a Friday night, so why bother with more than a couple of those also? And three, because I just read some news that has me miffed, and I don't wanna splash my anger over into other people's plates. What is said news, you ask? Well:

Junior point guard for the UNC Tar Heels Larry Drew II announced out of the blue (yeah, sky-blue I reckon) that he is leaving the team immediately . . . just as both he and the team have started to play better. He stated he was leaving because "it's in my best interest to continue my education and basketball career elsewhere" . . . and I suppose to hell with his present teammates. Perhaps it is due to him being replaced in the starting lineup in recent games by freshman Kendall Marshall, but not only was Drew still getting significant minutes on the court, he was also producing off the bench better than he had done as a starter, on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The announcement came as a complete shock to everyone, as apparently the only person he discussed the matter with was his father, Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew.

Now to be completely honest, I am not angry that he has decided to leave the Carolina program, as his development and progress has not been what was expected, and because he is certainly free to persue his options elsewhere. His progress as a player was definitely hindered by the fact that he received little time as a freshman, playing behind both Ty Lawson and Bobby Frasor. Then he was tossed into the fire as a sophmore in last year's disaster of a campaign, and was the target of much of the criticism, be it justified or not. He did little in the first half of this season to change anyone's opinion, averaging only 4.4 points and 3.9 assists (and 1.8 turnovers) per game. So, had he made the same decision the Ware twins made at the end of last season, and announced after completing this year that he was leaving, I would simply thank him for what he had hepled to accomplish, and wish him well. However, for him to quit the team just as they seem to be turning things around a bit, and with the toughest stretch of the season just beginning . . . well, screw the selfish basturd, that's all I have to say.


As I said above, before starting my rant, I was surprised by only three of last night's games:


Oregon State 68 - Washington 56 = Don't get me wrong. It's not that I think the Huskies are all that good, but please. The Beavers, as I said yesterday, are no damn good at all. OK, so they did edge Arizona earlier in the year. So what? This was no squeaker, and there's no damn excuse for it.

North Florida 72 - Lipscomb 62 = And there's no damn excuse for this one either. Lipscomb is a much better team than are the Ospreys, and should have plucked them good.

Youngstown State 62 - Butler 60 = And though this was a tight one, there's again no damn reason for it. Sure, Butler's not as good as they were last year. What's your point? The Penguins are absolutely horrible, and this victory boosted their Horizon record to 2-10, and 8-14 overall. Gimme a freakin' break!


Tonight's games include only two that hold even the slightest interest to me:


Harvard vs. Princeton = The Ivy chase has yet to scarcely begin, but this is still a big one for both teams.

Fairfield vs. Iona = And if the Gaels want to have any shot at all of catching Fairfield in the MAAC, they need to take this one tonight.


If I manage to calm down a bit, I'll be back later with some early tips tomorrow. If not . . . well, enjoy or don't, what do I care. I'm still p!$$ed, so &@^# it all.

[The Poet]

OK, I took a deep breath, had a short smoke (JR Ult Habanito, if you care to know), and calmed down a bit, so lemme give a quick preview of Saturday's early games:


Cleveland State vs. Butler = The Vikings hod a slim lead atop the Horizon, while the Bulldogs are just about out of it for this year. C-State can put them at .500 in league play, and put themselves a bit further out of reach with a victory here.

West Virginia vs. Villanova = Both teams have strengths and weaknesses, and either one can win. The Mountaineers are on the road, so maybe the Philly 'Cats have a slight edge. But this one will go to whichever plays best, and so pick your poison here.

Georgetown vs. Providence = This one's not much different, though I'd favor the Hoyas more than the Friars here.

VCU vs. James Madison = VCU is tied with George Mason at 10-1 in CAC play, so they really want this one badly. It won't be a gimme, as JM can play a bit too. Should be a good one.

St. John's vs. UCLA = Can the Johnnies knock off another non-conferece foe this weekend? Hey, if they can beat Dook, they can beat the Bruins, that's for sure. But me, I gotta see it happen again before I believe it. Steve Lavin's return to Pauley Pavilion might turn into a disaster for him, in more ways than one.

Illinois vs. Northwestern = The Illini should not have any problems with the Windy 'Cats, yet games are not won on should'as and coulda's. If they don't show up, they might drop one they need to win, if only to keep them respectable in the Big Ten.

Wake Forest vs. Maryland = The Terps lost their last home game, but that was to Dook. I don't expect them to drop two inna row in College Park . . . not when they're facing Wake, anyway.

Virginia Tech vs. Boston College = Though it is unlikely either of these two can reach the top of the ACC, 2nd place is still a possibility for them. They need to win this one, however, and I'd bet on a good game.

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech = The Tigers are still in the mix a bit too, and need to make a Wreck of Tech to rebound from a stinker against Virginia. I figure they will do just that.

Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina = If you've been paying attention, you realize that it has become damn-near impossible to handicap the SEC. It's in Nashville, and the Charlie Daniels may be favored, but me . . . I'm gonna flip a coin.

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State = Oak State has been more consistent, but the Sooners have surprised a few people this year too. In Stillwater, I'd pick the Cowboys, but you just can't predict these in-state conference games.

Kansas State vs. Iowa State = Although I never bought into the pre-season hype for K-State, I never thought they would be as mediocre as they have been. Can the Cyclones steal one in Ames? Well, as that would give them only their 2nd victory in conference play, my guess would be no. The other Manhattanites may not be great, but they don't stink that bad. Yet on second thought, their team seems to be falling apart at the seams, so who knows? Stay tuned.

ODU vs. George Mason = Hey, do you remeber 'way up at the top of this post, when I talked about the CAC race? Well, here's another huge game in that scrum for the league lead, with the 9-3 Monarchs looking to tie the 10-2 Patriots. You can figure on a close one here.


That's all I'll do for now . . . partly because some butthole in an SUV is illegally parked outside, shining his brights into my eyes through the window. God, I can't see a damn thing! So now, I'm p!$$ed again. Will this day ever end? :confused:

[Col. Kurtz]

Would you farkin' believe it? I just spent the last hour typing my post, and as I got to the last entry some non-English speaking bozoette came in here to play a stinkin' dollar on the stinkin' lottery, and I lost the whole damn thing!

I'll play some catch-up tomorrow. I'm just to p!$$ed off at the moment to do anything but cuss.

Hey Thomas,

How about composing your post in Word or Notepad and copy/paste a reply when you are done.

Just thinking out loud.

[The Poet]

Hey Thomas,

How about composing your post in Word or Notepad and copy/paste a reply when you are done.

Just thinking out loud.

Jerry, buddy, where the hell you been my friend! I'm sure I'm not the only one who's missed you. Sorry about how my Heels embarrassed your 'Pack last week, but you'll get your shot in Raleigh soon enough. Hey, maybe by that time a few more players will quit the team, and you'll have a better shot! :r

Thanks for your suggestion, but you assume I know something about these kumpooter thingies, and actually know what you're talkin' about. :sh


Update to follow.

[The Poet]

Last night Fairfield grabbed a 2-game lead in the MAAC by beating Iona 75-71, while Princeton kept pace with their competition across the Delaware, Penn, with their 65-61 win over Harvard, and are 3-0 in this early stage of the Ivy. So far today we have some finals:

Xavier 76 - Saint Louis 68 = The X-men had more trouble with the Billikens than they should have, but did hold on.

Georgetown 83 - Providence 81 = And the Hoyas had all they could handle from the Friars, and are lucky to have avoided the upset.

Villanova 66 - West Virginia 50 = Looks as though the Mountaineers didn't make it to Philly. I did not think they would win, but I did expect a better showing than this.

Butler 73 - Cleveland State 61 = Now this one's a bit of a surprise. CS has been pretty good, while Butler has been spotty. Here's a good win for a team that needed one bad.

VCU 70 - James Madison 66 = And this one was precisely the war I thought we'd have.


Other action scheduled today, aside from those already mentioned, is far too vast for me to note. So I've selected those which piqued my pickle:


Rhode Island vs. Temple = A huge A-10 matchups, and either one can win it.

Baylor vs. Texas A&M = If the Bears can find their game, they can give the Aggies all they want.

Syracuse vs. South Florida = And if the Bulls can find their game, they will only be beaten by the Orange, and not crushed.

Buffalo vs. Ball State = Who cares, you ask? Well, this one's for the top spots in the MAC, East and West respectively, so you can't get any bigger a game . . . at this level, anyway.

ODU vs. George Mason = And a higher level here, but pretty much the same story.

Virginia vs. Miami = And as neither of these want to sink down to Wake's level in the ACC, I'd expect a good one here. Me, I pick the Cavs.

UAB vs. Tulane = UAB can't afford a let-up against a team that they have an advantage over. If they drop this one, shame on them. That's not to knock Tulane, who can ball a little bit. But still . . . .

BYU vs. UNLV = The Casino Runs made a little noise early in the season, but we've not heard more than peeps from them since. The Cougars want the win, but the Rebels NEED it. This one could be fun.

Kansas vs. Nebraska = And this one could be more fun than the Jayhawks are looking for. Were I a gambler, I'd put a few on KU, but a 'Husker upset would not stun me.

Memphis vs. Gonzaga = This one pits two "name" teams from mid-majors who are used to better seasons than they've had to date. A win by either would go a long way towards securing an at-large. The 'Zags may need it more, so I feel they will be focused. There could be blood on the court before this one's done.

Washington vs. Oregon = And if the Huskies can't bounce back against the Ducks, then just maybe the Pac-10 does not deserve any respect.

Furman vs. Charleston = Here's another vital conference matchup, this one in the southern division of the Southern Conference . . . so one of these good squads will go south, for sure. Pick 'em.

Alabama vs. Tennessee = Another pick 'em game in another conference with Southern in its name. Off the top of my head, I can't recall which however.

Pitt vs. Cincinnati = The Bearcats are another team you've not heard much about of late. They could change that quickly with an upset today. It likely won't happen, but you never know about these things.

Marshall vs. Southern Mississippi = If this one is decided by more than 6 or 8 points, I will be shocked.

Duke vs N. C. State = And if this one in Cameron lasts more than 6 or 8 minutes, I will be shocked. No offense, Jerry, but your Wolfpack has no offense.

Mississippi vs. Arkansas = Another matchup in the SEC, and if you've been paying any attention at all, you'll know nobody can predict who will win here. The only consistent thing about SEC play so far this year has been its inconsistency.

U. Conn vs. Seton Hall = Though the Pirates did get one HUGE upset over the Orange, and in the Dome no less, I don't think they have another in them. Sure, the game's in Newark, and sure, the Huskies just proved they can be beaten, twice in a row now, yet I don't think that streak will reach three today.

Missouri vs. Colorado = Though one of these two has gotten all the press, while the other's gotten squat, don't kid yourself . . . this one will be tight. It would not surprise me one damn bit if the Buffaloes take it.

Arizona vs. California = But I don't expect those boys in Berkeley to hold serve against the Wildcats. 'Zona wants to get back to their sweet music Lute played, and they won't let some pack of dirty hippies stand in their way.

Louisville vs. DePaul = Louisville will win. It's that simple. The only question is, will Pitino's boys channel their inner "Cardiac Kids" again, and wait until the last few minutes before they pull it out of their butts? If so, then their post-season run will be very very short, and not jsut because Pitino's not Valvano.

Murray State vs. Austin Peay = Yeah, Joe, I know how huge this one is for your Racers. If they win, they hold the lead in the OVC. If they lose, they slip into a three-way . . . and not the good kind. This one should be tons of fun, start to finish.

Kentucky vs. Florida = And if both teams actually show up, this one will be a lot of fun too. The problem is, neither team seems capable of showing up night after night. You gotta give UK an edge, but you'd be just as safe if you flipped a coin.

Texas vs. Texas Tech = But this one's already over. Why are they even playing it? The Red Raiders should just forfeit, and stay at home to study for mid-terms.

Utah State vs. Boise State = And even though I think the Aggies are bogus (OK, so they are 21-2 . . . those 2 losses were to the only 2 decent teams they've played all year, so who cares?), I don't think they'll have a problem with the Broncos. Hell, nobody else has lately, so why should they be the exception?

San Diego State vs. TCU = With all due respect for the Aztecs, you can merely substitute the names in that post immediately above and be damn close to accurate, start to finish. The Horned Frogs are not the worst team in the nation, but SDSU's not the 7th best either. Still, chalk it up for them now, and don't even bother to watch.


I'll be back in a while with some other early finals, and some Sunday games too.

[The Poet]

Here's a few more early finals for you, including one which gives me pause:


Northwestern 71 - Illinois 70 = Though it may have seemed I waffled a bit on the Illini in my preview of this game, I really didn't think the Wildcats had a snowball's chance in this one. Guess I should stop thinking.

Clemson 65 - Georgia Tech 56 = But this, this is about what I expected.

Boston College 58 - Virginia Tech 56 = Same here. I figured on a tight contest, and that's what we got.

Maryland 91 - Wake Forest 70 = And the only surprise here is that Wake actually scored 70 points, on the road.

Vanderbilt 78 - South Carolina 60 = So, leesee here. Vandy lost its previous two games, and the 'Cocks won their last one. Yeah, judging by the rest of the SEC this year, this is what you'd expect. From day to day, these guys can't figure out who's coming and who's going.

Kansas State 86 - Iowa State 85 = Wow. Though K-State did hang on by the skin of their teeth, this is nearly as big a shock as the N'Western/Illini game. Yeah, I sorta kinda joked that the Cyclones might just steal one from a stumbling Wildcat team, but I never ever really thought they could. Well, they didn't . . . they fell a bucket short.


Tomorrow there are some key games scheduled, including:


Notre Dame vs. Rutgers = The Irish are much better than the Scarlet Knights, and should have little trouble. Yet at times the Big East has been as puzzling as the SEC, so don't bet the farm here.

Michigan vs. Penn State = Here are two who have actually started to play some pretty decent ball. It's a pick 'em, far as I'm concerned.

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State = As much as it displeases me, I've about given up on the Spartans this year. If they can beat the Badgers, it would be, at this point, a major upset. It could happen, but I'll have to see it first.

Ohio State vs. Minnesota = Thad Matta is apparently displeased with his team's 23-0 record, and has started to complain that opponents are playing "Hack-A-Sully". Gimme a break, ya whinin' bozo! If he doesn't like contact, he shouldn't be in the Big Ten, for krissakes! Though I never wish any player harm, I hope the Gophers read this, and break his freakin' neck tomorrow. But that aside, I give the Buckeyes a slim edge, despite their tendency to eek out victories . . . and their new one, of cryin' foul.

North Carolina vs. Florida State = It is beginning to appear as if the Seminoles are the only team willing to attempt a challenge to Duke and UNC for the ACC. Before yesterday's stunning announcement out of Chapel Hill, I would have given my Heels a slight edge in the Smith Center. Now, it depends upon how the team reacts to Drew's quitting like a snivelling little brat. If they mope and obsess about it, they could collapse tomorrow, and for the remainder of the season. If it p!$$es them off as much as it does me, and if they can focus this anger in a positive direction, then the rest of the ACC, and the rest of the country, better watch out.

Rider vs. Fairfield = The Stags want to maintain control of the MAAC. The Broncos want to harness up and make a charge at them. This one may decide it for both teams.


That's enough for now. If I don't make it back until Monday . . . enjoy.


Oh, and I'm adding a new tag-line to my posts: Screw Drew. :sl

[acarr]

Still no respect for the Cats of AZ. With a sweep over the Bay Area schools, I think they are going to move up to about 17 when this weeks rankings come out. I was not sure how good we are, but we are showing some real resilience here late in the season.

[jcruse64]

Well, SEC is STILL the SEC. Freaking UK........

I was surprised Washington dropped the game last night. Tough loss. Was no surprised at Duke cleaning the Wolfpack up though. Nice win for Northwestern.

Go Racers!!!!!!!!!! We got tickets with another couple and followed the Racers on a road game. Less than 1 hour apart, both teams usually show great road support to their respective teams, and the Racers did not disappoint last night. Crazy first half-only about 40 total points, 6 total fouls, and I think the 20 minutes only took 8 minutes. Never seen a half go by so fast! Second half was better, but the Racers took command and held the lead to the end. Good win for us, but it really means nothing if we don't win the last OVC game of the season, in Nashville in March.

OSU up on Minnesota by 10, with 5 left in the 1st.Wisconsin is killing Michigan State in the 2nd right now. Ouch!!!

Now, to take the rest of the afternoon to psyche up for the end of the 2010-2011 NFL season (and, quite possibly, the 2011-2012 season). Thank goodness for college B'ball, the next 2 months help cushion the blow.

[The Poet]

Still no respect for the Cats of AZ. With a sweep over the Bay Area schools, I think they are going to move up to about 17 when this weeks rankings come out. I was not sure how good we are, but we are showing some real resilience here late in the season.

They actually jumped to 15, for what that's worth. And I'm also not sure how good they are myself, especially when they needed 3 OTs to edge past the totally average Golden Bears.

Well, SEC is STILL the SEC. Freaking UK........

I was surprised Washington dropped the game last night. Tough loss. Was no surprised at Duke cleaning the Wolfpack up though. Nice win for Northwestern.

Go Racers!!!!!!!!!! We got tickets with another couple and followed the Racers on a road game. Less than 1 hour apart, both teams usually show great road support to their respective teams, and the Racers did not disappoint last night. Crazy first half-only about 40 total points, 6 total fouls, and I think the 20 minutes only took 8 minutes. Never seen a half go by so fast! Second half was better, but the Racers took command and held the lead to the end. Good win for us, but it really means nothing if we don't win the last OVC game of the season, in Nashville in March.

OSU up on Minnesota by 10, with 5 left in the 1st.Wisconsin is killing Michigan State in the 2nd right now. Ouch!!!

Now, to take the rest of the afternoon to psyche up for the end of the 2010-2011 NFL season (and, quite possibly, the 2011-2012 season). Thank goodness for college B'ball, the next 2 months help cushion the blow.

Yeah, the SEC continues to do what they've done best so far this year . . . confuse their fans, their coaches, and the experts.

Me, I'm a bit surprised that the Ducks could beat anybody, but since the Huskies haven't exactly been monsters, I am not stunned by it. Nor am I stunned that NCSU lost in Cameron, big. As for Northwestern's win . . . well, maybe you haven't noticed, but aside from the Buckeyes, the Big Ten is getting just about as confusing (and confused) as the SEC.

And 'grats to your Racers on a great win. Yeah, it won't get them to the Dance, but it has to make them feel awfully good about their chances.

Update coming ASAP.

[The Poet]

There's no way I can possibly reference all the good games this weekend, so forgive me if I skip your team . . . and jump in and do it your-damn-self, ya lazy bastids! In the balance of Saturday's action:


Murray State 67 - Austin Peay 58 = As said above, a great win for the Racers. I thought they had a good chance to win it, yet I thought it might be closer. Maybe this MSU is getting some of that good karma that MSU in Michigan seems to have lost.

Mississippi 69 - Arkansas 60 = If some team in another league wants to win a conference championship this season, see if you can move into the SEC now. Seems as if nobody else wants it.

Boston College 58 - Virginia Tech 56 = Aside from being a low-scoring affair, a good game for two who hope to get bids in March. Both need to earn a few more Ws, so keep your eye on the rest of their season.

Arizona 107 - California 105 (3OT) = A win on the road is always good, but as I said above, the fact that it took the 'Cats an extra 15 minutes, and they STILL just squeaked by a 13-10 team, should not promote a lot of confidence in their fans.

Charleston 73 - Furman 54 = Another big conference victory, putting CoC atop the Southern Conference (South).

Duke 76 - N. C. State 52 = This one should come as no surprise to anyone. But Sidney Lowe could look on the bright side, for if he's fired at the end of this season, this will be the last time he gets spanked in Cameron.

East Carolina 68 - UCF 61 = I throw this in because I am fascinated by the Orlando Mickeys' story so far. After their 14-0 start, this makes 7 losses in a row, and if their game with UTEP had not been postponed that would likely be 8. Good night, Knights.

Florida 70 - Kentucky 68 = A very good game, close from start to finish, and precisely what I'd wish for. I do not like Billy Donovan all that much. I dislike John Calipari quite a bit more. Since both could not lose, I'll take this. :D

Memphis 62 - Gonzaga 58 = Speaking of Cal, here's a good non-conference win for his former employer. Were the 'Zags as good as they've been in past years, it would even be a great one, but the Tigers will take all they can get at this point.

Louisville 61 - DePaul 57 = Are you joking? Louisville beats an absolutely lousy Blue Demon squad by a stinkin' 4 points, and in their new Crum Bucket, and needed more late-game heroics to even manage that? Do you think I'm stating this too strongly? Forget that DePaul is now at 6-16 this year. Even forget they are 0-10 in league play. All you need know is this is their 23rd straight loss to a Big East foe.

Mississippi State 58 - LSU 57 = And this victory is just about as bad . . . or would be, were it not for the fact that it is about what we've learned to expect in the SEC.

Miami 70 - Virginia 68 (OT) = Well, if nothing else, we at least know that neither of these two teams want to end up in the ACC cellar with Wake Forest. Both wanted the win, and they gave us a good contest.

Oklahoma State 81 - Oklahoma 75 = I guess this is a good enough win for the Cowboys, and a disappointing loss for the Sooners. But I'd imagine they are a bit more focused now on the count of sexual battery and three counts of "rape by instrumentation" (I hestitate to guess) charged against starting forward Darrell Williams today. And I thought the Larry Drew II story was embarrassing.

Oregon 81 - Washington 76 = I mentioned this above, and stick with what I said. I am not surprised the Huskies lost a game they maybe should have won. I am surprised that it was the Ducks who did it.

San Diego State 60 - TCU 53 = Much as with the Louisville/DePaul game above, this one's hard to believe. Are you telling me the Aztecs beat the absolutely horrid Horned Frogs by a couple of possessions . . . on their own court? OK, fine, but don't tell me you actually believe they're one of the best teams in the nation also. I'll believe one or the other, but not both.

U.Conn 61 - Seton Hall 59 = And the only difference here is that the game was in Newark, not Storrs nor Hartford. That's still insufficient excuse, and the Huskies dodged a bullet the size of Calhoun's ego here.

St. Bonaventure 64 - Duquesne 62 = This one was of huge significance in the A-10, as it dropped the Dukes into a tie at 8-1 with Xavier. I expect both of these two to get NCAA bids, but it's always better safe than sorry. Watch this race closely from now on.

Baylor 76 - Texas A&M 74 (OT) = The Bears haven't had as good a win as this one all year. Plus, coming off their loss to the Sooners, they needed one.


There was much less notable action Sunday:


Rider 96 - Fairfield 87 = A bit of a shock to me, since I thought the Stags would take a stranglehold on the MAAC with a win here. They still have a 2-game cushion, but that's not yet a safe margin. Again, here's one to keep your eyes on.

Notre Dame 76 - Rutgers 69 = Just one more of those "WTF?" games. And yes, it was in South Bend too. Why oh why do all these experts think the Big Mouts Conference is so great, when they can't even dominate their own cellar-dwellers? They must have a lot of reporters on the payroll, that's all I can think.

North Carolina 89 - Florida State 69 = It is no big surprise that the Tar Heels beat FSU in Chapel Hill, since they've been doing that with nice consistency for decades. Hell, that's the proximate cause of Charlie Ward's famous quote about the "wine and cheese crowd" of Tar Heel fans. Shoot, what reason did the Heel faithful have to get excited when the Semiholes came to town? Hey, if Charlie had been a better point guard (or a worse quarterback) and played for Dook instead, he'd have seen some lightning in the stands. But back to the game: This is the reaction I hoped for, after He Who Shall Remain Nameless fled town Friday night. The team got hurt, got confused, then got mad. Kendall Marshall had 9 points and 16 assists, Dexter Strickland scored 15 and grabbed 6 boards, Barnes, Henson and Zeller also scored in double digits, and FSU got no closer than 7 in the 2nd half. So, an expected win became a welcome stomping, and is the 3rd such spanking issued in a row. It might not last ( :D ), but it's fun while it does.


Tonight has only a few games of import:


Pitt vs. West Virginia = I figure the Panthers won't have all that much trouble with the Mountaineers, despite the fact that WVA has played very well on occasion. But Pitt knows it can put its hands around the throat of the regular season and make it their own, so I expect them to remain focused on the task at hand.

Murray State vs. Eastern Illinois = Joe's Racers should not have much trouble with these Panthers, since nobody much else has had a lot of trouble with them so far. But sometimes after a big win a team can let down. I'm not sure EI is good enough to take advantage if that occurs, but who knows?

Missouri vs. Kansas = The Jayhawks are somewhat better, and have been more consistent than the Tigers. But Missou, despite their 4-4 conference mark, are capable of beating most anybody on a given night. Can they do what Texas managed, and shoot down the Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse? Probably not, but it should be fun to watch anyway.


That's all I have time for tonight. Enjoy, and Screw Drew.

[jcruse64]

Mississippi 69 - Arkansas 60 = If some team in another league wants to win a conference championship this season, see if you can move into the SEC now. Seems as if nobody else wants it.


:r:r:r:r

I think you might be right about the SEC. Sheeeesh!

Pitt has its hands full, with less than 6 minutes to the half.

Go Racers!!!!!

[The Poet]

:r:r:r:r

I think you might be right about the SEC. Sheeeesh!

Pitt has its hands full, with less than 6 minutes to the half.

Go Racers!!!!!


A. Well, to be fair to the Gators and the Tide, I guess we should recognize they have a leg up in the East and West divisions. Florida may be a tiny bit of a surprise there, given their division competition, but 'Bama is a total puzzler to me. Then again, the West seems to be much weaker than its eastern sister, so I guess somebody has to be on top.

B. We have seen the Mountaineers play some good ball so far, and though I see Pitt taking the Big East regular season I never thought they'd face no challenges along the way.

C. Go Racers? They seem to be doing just that. Case in point:


Murray State 66 - Eastern Illinois 53 = The victory in itself was no shock, but it does give your Racers their 6th in a row. Furthermore, had they not lost by 2 to Austin Peay in their first meeting, and this EI squad by a single point a few weeks ago, this would have made 16 in a row. Not too shabby.

Pitt 71 - West Virginia 66 = A couple of buckets, a couple of boards, a bounce or two the other way, and we'd have had what the experts call an upset here. Don't kid yourself . . . in big-time conference play, there are few true upsets. It would have been a good win for the Mountaineers, but it's also a good one for the Panthers.

Kansas 103 - Missouri 86 = I pretty much assumed the Jayhawks would take this one, yet I find the margin a bit lopsided. But this leads me into what is rapidly becoming a pet peeve with me. OK, so Missou has an 18-6 overall record, but how can one justify a team getting a top 25 ranking when they are just above, at, or under .500 in their own conference? I'm not picking on the Big 12 here, since the same is or has been true in the Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Me, I do not get it, one damn bit.

Wright State 74 - Youngstown State 70 = Although the Raiders really should have handled the crappy Penguins with much more ease than this, the win does keep them in touch with Valpo and Cleveland State for the zenith of the Horizon.


There are a few interesting games tonight, leading up to Wednesday's big night of action. But that's to follow, so this evening we have:


Purdue vs. Indiana = Although the Hoosiers have played some decent ball from time to time, and actually have managed to steal a win or three they were not supposed to, I can't really see them going on the road to take the Boilermakers . . . unless, as they have done too often, the 'Makers make no shots. Other than that, I see this lasting a half, then unraveling for IU like one of Bobby's old red sweaters.

Cincinnati vs. DePaul = And though the Bearcats have been eminently beatable at times, the Blue Demons have yet to manage to win a league game so far. I don't expect this to be their first.

Xavier vs. Georgia = Big non-conference games are few and far between this time of year. A victory here would look good on both resumes come Selection Sunday, so plan on this one being a war down in Athens. I see this as a pick 'em.

Princeton vs. Penn = Although the Ivy season is still much too young to call, this one may prove key down the stretch. The Tigers want to hold onto their meagre early lead, and the Quakers would like to tie them up . . . even if that puts Harvard up by a 1/2 game. This is in Jadwin, so I'll go with the boys east of the Delaware here.

Tennessee vs. Kentucky = Bruce Pearl has served his 8-game conference suspension, and will be back on the bench tonight. I do not expect he will score any points or grab any rebounds, though he may make a couple of "turnovers" if he tries to get three weeks of yelling at the refs out of his system all tonight. If the Vols can steal one up in Rupp, they can put Cal's 'Cats under .500 in SEC play (see my gripe above), and considering how things are shaking out so far in this league, I see no reason why they can't . . . except for the fact that they themselves have been as inconsistent as has UK. Were I to wager, I'd give the home team a two-possession edge, but this one should be a blast from start to finish. Don't be surprised if the team that makes the plays in the final 2 minutes walks away with the W.

San Diego State vs. Utah = The Aztecs were not very impressive in wins against Colorado State and TCU, and probably need to turn up the juice a bit tonight by spanking the hapless Utes. If they do so, it may mean little save that they have refocused. But if they again slip by with a one or two possession victory . . . or a huge home upset . . . they had best steel themselves for a marvelous regular season, and a extremely short post-season run.

Boston College vs. Clemson = At the moment 4 teams are tied for 4th in the ACC with 5-4 records, and here are two of them. Though it is possible that the Selection Committee might go 7-deep in the conference, it is more likely they will only let at most 6 into the Dance. You don't think these guys don't know that already? This one down in Littlejohn is huge for these two teams, both of which have been in and out of the national spotlight during the course of the season so far. I figure this may just get nasty in Death Valley, so keep you eye on it.


That's all for today. I'm late for practice for THE BIG ONE tomorrow already, so I leave you with . . . enjoy. Screw Drew.

[The Poet]

Not a lot of games last night, and no surprises either. Well, maybe one:

Cincinnati 71 - DePaul 68 = OK, so it was in the Rosemont, but for the Blue Demons to come so close to their first conference win does not speak well of the Bearcats.

Xavier 65 - Georgia 57 = Early in the year I almost gave up on the X-Men. Shows just how dumb I am. You can view this as another big win for them, or another funky loss for the SEC.

Clemson 77 - Boston College 69 = A good showing from two of the "also-rans" in the ACC. The game may neither clinch a bid or lose one for either team, but it does help the Tigers' chances.

Kentucky 73 - Tennessee 61 = No shock here at all. Despite their struggles, UK is a better team . . . especially in Rupp.

Purdue 67 - Indiana 53 = And that's pretty much the same tale here. The 'Makers still can't score worth a doodly, but they didn't have to against the Hoosiers.

Princeton 62 - Pennsylvania 59 (OT) = A nice, hard-fought win for the Tigers to keep them in the early Ivy lead.

San Diego State 85 - Utah 53 = Now that's more like it, Aztecs. I guess Steve Fisher saw the same thing I did, and lit a fire under your butts.


There is entirely too much good action tonight for me to do it all justice, especially as I have to devote so many keystrokes to THE GAME. So I have cherry-picked these:


Temple vs. Fordham = I don't expect the Owls to have a problem with the Rams, but it is of some importance for Fran's team to spank them and continue to regain some respect earlier losses took away.

Northwestern vs. Michigan = And this one may have minimal national importance, but the teams are well-matched so should put on a good show.

Georgetown vs. Syracuse = But this one, here's a true big game. Not THE BIG GAME, yet still an important one that may later decide the difference between, say, a # 2 or a # 4 seed in the NCAAs. If this one is not tight, I will be shocked.

Notre Dame vs. Louisville = And the stakes are just as high in this Big East clash. The Irish have been better than expected, and the Cards have been the 2011 version of The Card-iac Kids. I figure it will be close, so maybe Pitino will get a shot at pulling another one out of his butt.

James Madison vs. Drexel = Though it seems as if these two are out of the running for the CAC, they are still good teams and I figure on a nice game here.

Dayton vs. Rhode Island = And in the A-10, it's the same situation. This one should be fun.

UAB vs. Marshall = Pretty much the same story here, although the Blazers still have a good shot at the CUSA title. But don't expect the Herd to let them run amok.

Ball State vs. Bowling Green = Here's a key game in the MAC race, and both squads want the W. Another good chance for a thriller here.

Wake Forest vs. Miami = Though this could be competitive, I'm more interested to see if the Deacs can earn a second victory in the ACC. They don't have all that many chances left, and this one in Greensboro might be their best shot.

Florida vs. South Carolina = If this SEC season holds to form, the Gators will get screwed by the 'Cocks tonight, and further confuse the conference . . . and the experts . . . and me. I'm not calling for the upset, as I'm not certain it would be one anyway, but it is worth keeping an eye on.

Nebraska vs. Baylor = The Bears are not going to catch both the Longhorns and the Jayhawks in the Big 12. The 'Huskers aren't even gonna sniff them. Yet this one should be a decent game regardless of these facts.

Arkansas vs. Mississippi State = Back in the SEC again, which means the only thing you can bet on is that one will win, and the other will lose. This applies particularly to these two teams, since they seem to be of .500 quality in conference play anyway.

Maryland vs. Longwood = What? Longwood?? What is this November game doing in February? Uhhhh, ummmmm, I think I'll go with the Terps here.

Villanova vs Rutgers = It is in Piscataway, which is the only advantage the Scarlet Knight will have tonight. Still, the Wildcats have not been dominating, so it may be close for a while. It should not end that way.

Wisconsin vs. Iowa = I can't see this one being much of a game, unless the Hawkeyes can somehow grab an early lead at home, and thus force the Badgers to try and speed up. As good as they are, that's one thing they cannot do.

Texas A&M vs. Colorado = However, although the Aggies have gotten more press, and more respect, than have the Buffaloes, this one could actually go either way. Not only can those bison play a bit, they host the lowlanders up in Boulder. Break out the O2 tanks, fellas.

Texas vs. Oklahoma = And this one is in Norman. Big freakin' deal. If the Longhorns do not gore the Sooners sooner, they will almost certainly stick it to them later.

BYU vs. Air Force = Yeah, OK. The Cougars are playing tonight. Another big freakin' deal. Take a look at their schedule, both conference and non-conference, and tell me how in the high holy hell they've "earned" an RPI rating of # 2, and a Strength of Schedule rating of # 10 in the nation. Are these guys on crack? Sheesh. If the Falcons only lose by 10 or so, I will be pleasantly surprised. But again . . . big deal.

Utah State vs. Idaho = And lest you think that comment above is some anti-Mormon rant, consider this: The Aggies have not lost a game since Georgetown dropped them by nearly 20 back on December 4th. This is mainly due to the fact that the Aggies have not PLAYED anybody worth a crap since they lost to the Hoyas. But still, those idiots who are allowed to decide such stuff think they are a Top 25 team. Well, let's see them put their own money on 'em down in Vegas, come Tourney time. Please.

Now, for the main event: THE GAME!!!

North Carolina vs. Duke = Two weeks ago, I would not have given my Heels more than a snowball's chance to win this game in Durham . . . or anywhere else, for that matter. But UNC has romped in their last 3 games, and perhaps have actually turned that corner Roy said they would. Meanwhile, Duke showed against St. John's that, if their outside shots are not dropping, they can be out-quicked and out-hustled, and out-classed even. Carolina does have the athletes to beat the Blue Devils down the court, and beat them to rebounds and loose balls, and if they don't take a step backwards they can do that. But the Tar Heel D will give Duke open looks from outside, so if they are canning their 3s it may turn real ugly, real fast. The X-factor may be the Cameron Crazies, and the news is not all good for the home team either. Those Crazies are renowned for their clever (and often tactless) taunts launched at the opposition, and I fully expect them to fire some pointed "Drew" darts at the Heels this evening. The tactic may backfire, however, since the team has had time to fully process the betrayal, and those taunts will merely anger them. If they can focus that anger in a positive way, it can only help their chances. You still have to give Duke the edge tonight, but I don't believe Kyrie Irving's pre-season prediction of another 30-point thrubbing will occur. This one may very well hinge on who steps up and makes plays in the last 5 minutes.


That's all for now. See you tomorrow, rain or shine. Until then, enjoy. Screw Drew.

[SD Beerman]

"San Diego State 85 - Utah 53 = Now that's more like it, Aztecs. I guess Steve Fisher saw the same thing I did, and lit a fire under your butts."



What he said!!!!

[jcruse64]

THE GAME...coming up!

While there have been some blowouts, this is almost always a great game. I'll usually always watch, even though I despise the ACC, as ALL good Wildcat fans should...... :r:r:r:noon

Even when one team is really having a down season, they show up big for this game. I WILL be watching, not listening, Baybeee...

[The Poet]

"San Diego State 85 - Utah 53 = Now that's more like it, Aztecs. I guess Steve Fisher saw the same thing I did, and lit a fire under your butts."



What he said!!!!

And what I said likely had far fewer censored comments than what Fisher said. ;)

THE GAME...coming up!

While there have been some blowouts, this is almost always a great game. I'll usually always watch, even though I despise the ACC, as ALL good Wildcat fans should...... :r:r:r:noon

Even when one team is really having a down season, they show up big for this game. I WILL be watching, not listening, Baybeee...

Another great game, and although I may have hoped for a slightly different outcome, no one can complain about the show they gave us. And if you can't stand Dicky V's banter, you can always try to find a feed online from Woody Durham out of Chapel Hill. There may be radio announcers as good, and as fair, as him, but there are none better.

Update to follow.

[The Poet]

So let's start this update by finishing up on THE GAME:


Duke 79 - UNC 73 = The Heels had this one most of the way, but the greater experience of the Blue Devils allowed them to edge it out late. The final is deceptive, as the game was much closer than that 2-possession margin. A very good win for Duke, and not a bad loss for the Heels, since they were expected to lose, and since I feared they may take a step backwards. Though they did not take one forward, they did show they could play with anyone, and if they keep this up and continue to improve, UNC is one team you won't want to see in your bracket come March.


Though this game was no surprise, and was exactly what I thought it might be, there were some shocks last night, the biggest being:


Rutgers 77 - Villanova 76 = I would say this is a huge win for the Scarlet Knights, and give them much credit, but from what I understand they did not win as much as 'Nova lost. The Wildcats blew a comfortable lead in the last few minutes, then fouled the shooter on a game-tying trey with 8/10th left, putting him on the line for the W. Jeez.

Wisconsin 64 - Iowa 59 (OT) = And this was nearly a big a shock, with the Badgers needing the extra 5 to take care of business.

Idaho 64 - Utah State 56 = And this was no surprise to me at all, at least in one regard. Hey, I flat-out told you yesterday the Aggies were over-rated. But dropping one to the Spuds . . . uh, I mean Vandals, who pretty much reek? Don't tell me it was in Moscow, as I don't care if it was played in Red Square! Their winning streak of 17 would have ended long ago, had they the guts to schedule some better competition.

VCU 84 - Delaware 74 (2OT) = This one's also a surprise to me, since I figured the Rams would have less trouble plucking the Blue Hens. Give Delaware some props for hanging tough, and VCU for hanging just a bit tougher to remain tied atop the CAC.

Marquette 59 - South Florida 58 = Much like the 'Nova loss, the Bulls gave this away. Much UNLIKE it however, is the fact that Marquette should not have had this much trouble in the first damn place.

Memphis 63 - UCF 62 = And the Knights came that close to breaking their long losing streak, against a CUSA-contending team that should have chased them out of the gym. You just can't figure college hoops.

Georgetown 64 - Syracuse 56 = And not to beat a dead horse here, but I still can't figure how the supposed # 12 Orange can be 7th in the Big Mouth at the same time. One or the other has to give. This is a good win for the Hoyas in the Dome. As for the 'Cuse . . . I've said their problem is their zone, but I'm beginning to believe a bigger one is their inability to shoot the ball.

Notre Dame 89 - Louisville 79 (OT) = Another nice win for the Irish, and another heart-attack night for Rick Pitino. Maybe he should consider going back to the NBA, where the money is better, and the stress is less.

Baylor 74 - Nebraska 70 = I figured on a good game here, and that's just what they gave us.

Bowling Green 65 - Ball State 64 = And did I not tell you this one would be tight?

Texas A&M 73 - Colorado 70 (OT) = Here again, did I not call for a high-altitude dogfight? Sometimes I scare myself, I'm so damn good. :D

Miami 74 - Wake Forest 73 = Well, give the Deacs some credit for giving it the old college try, and just barely missing their 2nd conference win last night. It took 2 'Cane FTs with 4 ticks left to get the lead, and a rimmed-out 3 at the buzzer to save it. Well, Wake still gets to host NCSU and Ga. Tech, so it ain't their final chance.


There are some pretty decent games tonight, though mostly small potatoes compared to last evening's:

U. Conn vs. St. John's = Both teams have shown that they can beat the best, and both have shown they can spit the bit. I really don't think the Red Storm can steal another stunner in the Garden, so expect the Huskies to take it fairly easily.

Vanderbilt vs. Alabama = Vandy is ranked nationally, and are 4-4 in the SEC East. The Tide is unranked, and 7-1 in the SEC West. 'Bama looks for its first win in Nashville in 20 years. Can they get one? Judging by the conference history so far this year . . . I have no clue. :r

Illinois vs. Minnesota = Both of these teams have been ranked at some point this season. Both are at best .500 in the Big Ten so far. Both need the win. Both can't get it. Flip a coin.

Florida State vs. Georgia Tech = The Semiholes got chased out of Chapel Hill Sunday, yet with a win tonight can get within a 1/2-game of the Heels for 2nd place in the ACC, with plenty of games left . . . including a home rematch with UNC. The Jackets have played some good games in Atlanta, but may have trouble scoring against FSU's D. I figure the 'Noles by 3 possessions, unless they pull another stinker like they did on the road at Clemson.

Penn State vs. Michigan State = Tom Izzo seems to believe his Spartans can still earn a bid to the NCAAs, despite their present 13-10 record. Well, I've looked at their schedule. With 7 games left, and with Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota, and Purdue amongst them, they had better start their push tonight. The Nittany Lions have shocked better teams already this year, so don't expect them to just roll over. This one could be a lot of fun, and much too "questionable" to call.

Oregon vs. UCLA = Believe it or not, the Bruins are 2nd in the Pac-10, behind the 'Zona Wildcats. They feel at least as dissed as those desert 'Cats, and with even more historical justification. They think they deserve to Dance. Me, I do too. But they had best press the Ducks tonight, or face my wrath tomorrow.

Washington vs. California = And believe it or not, the Huskies have gotten almost all the Pac-10 props so far, yet their 7-4 conference records is a scarce improvement over Cal's 6-5 mark. It is in The Emerald City, where they very rarely lose . . . as opposed to the yellow-brick road, where they've now lost 3 in a row. Must be all the caffeine. I figure they won't make that 4 tonight, but who knows?

Wright State vs. Butler = And now to the mid-majors, with a vital game for both teams in the Horizon race . . . which is also the case for . . .

Detroit vs. Valparaiso = So here four of the top six Horizon clubs face off against each other. You don't think there will be some scoreboard watching this evening? Speaking of important mid-major matchups . . .

Murray State vs. Tennessee Tech = Joe's Racers hold the slimmest of leads for first in the OVC with their 10-3 record. How slim? Well, the TT Golden Eagles at 9-5 are tied for 3rd with Austin Peay, with Morehead State just ahead at 9-4 (and who play bottom-feeder Eastern Illinois tonight, so figure they'll hit 10-4). You don't think this is one big game in one small conference?


That will do it for me tonight. As always, enjoy. And as recently, Screw Drew.

[The Poet]

There were a number of important scores from last night, but only one was a shocker:


St. John's 89 - U. Conn 72 = Yeah, I know the Johnnies have played some good games on occasion, and that they laid the wood to Dook not long ago. But I never thought they'd grab another huge win against a "Top Ten" team. I put that distinction in quotes not for the Blue Devils, who likely deserve it, but rather for the Huskies. Once again, I must protest. U. Conn is # 10 in the nation, yet in a 5-way tie for 7th in the Big East? Man, I'd like to take those voters and just :sl !!!

Florida State 72 - Georgia Tech 63 = This one I place in this prime position not for the expected victory for FSU but rather for its potential significance down the road. This keeps the Seminoles alone at 3rd in the ACC race, just 1/2-game below the Heels. Looking at their remaining schedule, I see only 2 more games which should not be automatic wins for them . . . at Maryland, and hosting UNC. This race could go down to the wire.

UCLA 64 - Oregon 54 = Much the same can be said here for the Pac-10. The Bruins remain in 2nd place behind the Arizona Wildcats, and have a fairly managable row to hoe . . . at least until they end the season with those 'Cats and the two Washington teams. It is still a horserace on the Left Coast.

Illinois 71 - Minnesota 62 = And although it seems that the Buckeyes have the Big Ten all to their lonesome, these "also-ran" games are vital, if only for possible seedings come March. The Gophers are go-for-ing the basement fast, with this their 4th loss in a row, and their 5-7 conference mark is now, believe it or not, worse than . . .

Michigan State 75 - Penn. State 57 = The Spartans, who move to .500 in league play at 6-6, and "improve" to . . . gulp, 14-10 overall. Izzo still has a lot of work to do to keep his NCAA streak alive, but this is a small positive sign. Now, let's see him beat the Buckeyes next Tuesday.

Vanderbilt 81 - Alabama 77 = This one was a tight fight from start to finish, with 11 ties and 10 lead changes, but in the end it was the same old story for the Crimson Tide in Nashville . . . wait 'til next decade to win one at the Comms. Vandy hangs on by the whiskers on the Robber Baron's chin, and keep the SEC East in a 4-way tie for 2nd behind the Gators. Yet 'Bama does stay 2 games up in the SEC West . . . for what that seems to be worth.

Valparaiso 82 - Detroit 74 = And this one keeps Valpo at the zenith of the Horizon, although their Crusade is not yet over, thanks to . . .

Butler 71 - Wright State 63 = It won't be easy for either of these, at 9-5 and 10-5 respectively, to catch both Valpo (10-3) and Cleveland State (10-4). One or the other, maybe, but both? Still, there are games left, and so there's time to do it . . . if they can do it.

Murray State 55 - Tennessee Tech 44 = And this keeps Joe's Racers atop the OVC, a full game better than Morehead State (who beat Eastern Illinois themselves last night). Yet winning this game, nor winning the regular season in that conference, won't get them to the Dance. Regardless, they did what they needed to do, ugly though it was (99 total points scored combined? Crap.), and a win is a win is a win. Right, Gertrude?


As we have come to expect, Friday night's mostly a heaping pile of who gives a fark. I spot only two games tonight which, barring something like "upsets" in the Ivy League, seem to have any real significance:

Yale vs. Harvard = Since I don't think the league-leading Princeton Tigers will get much of a fight from the Columbia Lions this evening, this is the key Ivy game to watch, as the Crimson and the Elis (don't feed me none of that "Bulldog" bull . . . there's too many dogs in the NCAA as it is) battle to remain 2nd and/or 3rd in the race for that one lone lonely bid the Ivy shall receive.


That will be it for now. If I have time, I'll come back with some quickies on the early tips on Saturday. Either way, enjoy. Screw Drew.

[The Poet]

OK, I'm back with the Saturday games scheduled to tip by 1:00 PM EST:


Notre Dame vs. South Florida = If the Irish don't just hammer the Bulls, I'll be surprised . . . though to be fair, 7 of the Bulls 8 wins came on their home court. But so did 6 of their 17 losses, so there's that too.

Syracuse vs. Louisville = And speaking of losses, both of these are coming off of one. Also, both of these teams are in that 8-way Big Mouth cluster with records between 7-4 and 6-5 in conference play. Put those facts together, and you can figure on a war out in the Crum Bucket.

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt = By comparison, the SEC East is a cakewalk, as their are only 4 2nd place teams with 5-4 marks. Kentucky has more talent, and less depth. Vandy has home-court, and a short turnaround time. And that's ignoring the fact that the SEC has had the consistency of a bride's first gravy this year . . . lots of lumps and bumps. Pick 'em.

North Carolina vs. Clemson = The Tar Heels are 3/4ths the way through their single toughest stretch of the ACC season (@ BC, FSU, @ Dook), and so far 2-1 is about as good as one could expect. They need to visit the Tigers and take care of business to remain above the Semiholes in 2nd place. It won't be easy, but I'd give them a slight edge.

Maryland vs. Boston College = And this one might even be more important in the ACC, and I'll tell you why. At 5-4 and 5-5 resp't, neither one will make it to the top of the regular season standings. Yet, barring a possible run in the ACC Tourney, this one may determine whether or not one or the other (and likely not both) will receive a bid to the NCAAs. Can the Terps travel up to Chestnut Hill and take one from a struggling Eagle squad? It should be a lot of fun to watch.

Temple vs. Dayton = The Owls may be ranked, and may even deserve to be, but they are in 3rd place in the A-10. Just barely, mind you, at 8-2 as opposed to the Dukes and X-Men at 8-1, but still. Also, and still still, they are tied for third with . . .

Richmond vs. St. Louis = Though the Owls above may have problems with the Flyers, I can't see the Spiders having all that much with the Billikens. So pencil in Richmond with the W, which means the Owls HAVE to beat Dayton, or fall to 4th in the A-10 race. Hey, I figure all four may get bids anyway, but it's best not to gamble on such stuff.


Tomorrow I'll give you more weekend action, plus some early scores.

[jcruse64]

If I were a betting man, I'd say UK will flame out down at Vandy.

The St John's win was great! They ain't too shabby.


Go Racers!!!!!:noon Will be there tomorrow to see if the streak continues.

[The Poet]

If I were a betting man, I'd say UK will flame out down at Vandy.

The St John's win was great! They ain't too shabby.


Go Racers!!!!!:noon Will be there tomorrow to see if the streak continues.


A. Well, it certainly would not be the first time the 'Cats got their tails stuck under a rocker.

B. The Johnnies made a bit of a move last year, and Steve Lavin seems to have them on a positive track. Let's see if they can continue to climb back to where they were once, without landing on the NCAA's $#!+list. Hey, it wouldn't be Lavin's first time there.

C. As by this time you're already in the stands, I won't tell you to enjoy. Still, I hope you do . . . and if they win, you likely shall.


Back soon with an update.

[The Poet]

C. As by this time you're already in the stands, I won't tell you to enjoy. Still, I hope you do . . . and if they win, you likely shall.

My bad. That game's tonight, so only the janitors are in the stands now. :r


Last night Harvard edged Yale 78-75 to stay in touch with Princeton in the Ivy, while East Tennessee State just spanked Jacksonville 80-64 to grab 2nd in the Atlantic Sun behind Belmont. Today there is far too much going on for me to do proper justice to it all, so by throwing out the mismatches and the bottom-feeders I'm left with:


Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech = Well, actually one of these is a bottom-feeder, but as the Aggies are ranked I have to mention their game, even if I don't think it will be much of one.

LSU vs. Arkansas = And the only way I see the Tigers giving the 'Hogs much of one resides in the fact that the SEC has been all over the map, so there's that.

Missouri vs. Oklahoma = And with Missou being ranked at 18-6, with the Sooners just above .500 at 12-11, this seems a mismatch too. But they are both 4-5 in the Big 12, so you can never tell. It could actually be close, at least for a while.

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin = Can the Buckeyes travel up to Madison and stay undefeated? Sure they can. Can the Badgers plod them into frustration, and steal one at home? Sure they can. If somebody scores more than 70, go with OSU. Under that, it could be anybody's game.

ODU vs. VCU = This one should be tons of fun. VCU is tied for 1st in the CAC, with ODU 'waaaay down in 3rd place. Break out the sharp knives.

Virginia vs. Florida State = On the one hand, the Cavs seem to be safely a few steps out of the ACC basement. On the other, the 'Noles want to stay in touch with UNC for 2nd in league play, as well as hope that Duke stumbles somewhere. I can't see UVA winning, yet I do expect they'll show up and give 'em game.

Mississippi vs. Alabama = The Tide want to bounce back from that squeaker at Vandy, and further strengthen their hold atop the SEC West. The Rebels don't want to drop any lower than 3rd, and would love to get back to .500 there. As this is the SEC, and the West to boot, flip a coin.

Indiana vs. Michigan = Two young teams with more pride and tradition than ability, though both have shown flashes. The Logans hold home court, so give them a 3-possession edge over the Hoosiers. Then, wait 'til next year, when both may open some eyes.

UCLA vs. Oregon State = The Bruins may be the surprise of the Pac-10, and may be the only one who can steal the conference from Arizona. As this one's at Pauley, and as the Beavers are as flat as their tails, go UCLA here.

Texas vs. Baylor = The Longhorns don't have a lot of competition left on their schedule, with the Bears being one of the few with half-a-shot. Unless the 'Horns assume they're winning and slack off, they should take it by 10 or better. But Baylor can play a bit, so UT best not fall asleep.

West Virginia vs. DePaul = Although the Blue Demons have come close a time or two of actually winning a conference game, they have as yet not managed to do so. I do not expect they shall today either, despite the fact that the Mountaineers have also fallen off the ridge a time or three themselves.

Kansas vs. Iowa State = And if the Jayhawks drop this one in Lawrence, Bill Self should shoot the mascot.

Georgia vs. South Carolina = Neither team seems likely at this point to make much noise nationally, but both have demonstrated they can play on occasion. Even were this NOT in the SEC, it would be a pick 'em.

George Mason vs. James Madison = Gentlemen, choose your weapons. This duel in the CAC impacts that ODU/VCU game above, as GM is the one tied with VCU. I'm not sure the Dukes can give the Rams any help on the Patriot's court, but JM can play a little themselves, so who knows? If you have any mid-major interest at all, keep an eye on this one, as well as the one above.

Florida vs. Tennessee = Can the Gators grab a stranglehold on the SEC East down in Gainesville today. No doubt. Can the Vols actually show up for a change and throw a wrench in the works? Well, maybe. They have enough skill available, but problems on and off the court have kept them off-balance all season. Yet if they want to make a late push, today would be a good time to start. If it's close at the half, it could be close at the end also.

Southern Mississippi vs. Memphis = And if you think the picture in YOUR conference is muddy, take a look at the CUSA! Amongst the top 6 teams there, one has a 6-2 record, two are at 7-3, and three at 6-3! Hell, you could throw a rock and hit all six! These two are amongst that clusterfark, so you know damn well they will be focused.

BYU vs. Utah = The first time these 2 met, the Utes only lost by 25 points. I don't expect much better a showing today.

California vs. Washington State = They may not be the class of the Pac-10, but at 6-6 each they both want this victory. This might be a nail-biter.

San Diego State vs. UNLV = The Aztecs only have a few more shots at p!$$ing away their tie with BYU atop the Mountain West, and a good piece of their national rep to boot. Tonight in Sin City is one of those. I vowed I'd not pick against them until they fell on their obsidian knives, so I shan't. Still, stay tuned with this one.

Detroit vs. Butler = Neither one of these will win the Horizon without a lot of help from others, yet they are decent teams and will most likely give us one heck of a contest.

Wright State vs. Valparaiso = But here, here we have a truly vital Horizon game. With Valpo leading at 10-3, Cleveland State on their necks at 10-4, and the WS Raiders all the way back at 10-5 . . . well, you get the picture.

Murray State vs. Jacksonville State = If Joe's Racers do not beat the 'Cocks into bloody stumps, he has no reason to complain. On paper, it's no contest.

Stanford vs. Washington = The Huskies stopped their 3-game losing streak by beating one NoCal team, and hope to keep the wins coming against the other tonight. They likely will, as the Cardinal is pretty much a .500 team at best. Still, the fact remains that the Huskies are not nearly as good as they were supposed to be, so who knows? Stranger things have happened.

Pitt vs. Villanova = Only one of these has been consistently good all year, but again the fact remains that 'Nova can beat almost anybody on a given night. This may not be that given night, however, and I won't pick a Big East team to knock off the Panthers until they give me some evidence to the contrary. It should be close for a while, yet the Wildcats have had problems sealing the deal. Pitt by 3 possessions.

Kansas State vs. Colorado = Along with the MSU Spartans, K-State's Wildcats have had the most disappointing collapse this season. But the Buffaloes have been no better of late, dropping 6 of their last 7. Hey, maybe they both suck! Pick 'em, if you dare.

Utah State vs. Fresno State = The Aggies dropped their first game in two months on Wednesday. I don't think they'll drop one to the aptly-named 'Dogs today.

SMU vs. UTEP = Remember above, when I talked about the moshpit CUSA race? Well, here's two more in the thick of it. I'd give the Miners a slim edge over the Mustangs, but it could go either way.

Wichita State vs. Northern Iowa = And here, in the Missouri Valley, is another key game. The Shockers are tied on top with Missouri State at 11-3, with the Panthers in 3rd place at 9-5. Both want it bad. I think the Shockers are a little better, but the game's in Cedar Falls, which might be worth a few points. Regardless, it should be a good one.

St. Mary's vs. San Francisco = It should not shock people who follow college hoops that the Gaels have a good team, and are on top of the WCC race. But unless your beard and memory are both loooong, you'd not expect the Dons to be in 2nd place, ahead of Gonzaga, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Portland, Loyola Marymount - all names from more recent times. Hey, I know at least one other person who'll have an eye on this one, besides me, and that's Bill Russell. :D


It's getting to crunch time in my game, so I'll be back later with early scores and Sunday games. Later.

[jcruse64]

The Cards hung in for the win over 'Cuse.

UK...tight game in Nashville with 5 left to play.

[The Poet]

The Cards hung in for the win over 'Cuse.

UK...tight game in Nashville with 5 left to play.

Indeed, two times, so first some early finals:


Louisville 73 - Syracuse 69 = A close one in the Crum Bucket, with Pitino giving Boeheim another tough loss. Though the Orange are not dropping like a stone, they are approaching lead balloon territory.

Vanderbilt 81 - Kentucky 77 = Not to gloat, but I love it. Me, I have a lot of respect for what Vandy manages to do, year after year, and still maintain a high academic standard. As for UK . . . well, they have half of that going for them anyway. :D

Notre Dame 78 - South Florida 55 = Just about what I expected here. The Irish are hot, and the Bulls are gelded.

Boston College 76 - Maryland 72 = A very good home win for the Eagles over the Terps. The middle of the ACC's quickly becoming a muddle.

Richmond 64 - Saint Louis 52 = And the only shock here is that the Spiders had such a relatively hard time with the Billikens.

UNC 64 - Clemson 62 = Well, I said it wouldn't be easy, with the Heels having a slight edge. Harrison Barnes broke a tie at 51 with a dunk with 3:01 to play to give Carolina the lead for good . . . though it would have been for gooder had they hit a few more stinkin'g FTs late, or even earlier. :rolleyes:

Temple 75 - Dayton 63 = I'd hoped for a closer one, but I'm not surprised the Owls took it. This one just about ends the Flyers' hopes . . . and maybe their whole season.

Arkansas 80 - LSU 61 = Well, what do you know? One SEC game that actually turns out to be what you'd think.

Missouri 84 - Oklahoma 61 = I figured the Tigers would get to the Sooners sooner or later. Seems like it was sooner.

Texas A&M 70 - Texas Tech 67 = Hunh? You mean the Aggies let the Red Raiders stay so close? WTF?

And now, for the biggie:


Wisconsin 71 - Ohio State 67 = And the last one bites the dust. Not just a great win for the Badgers, but one which defines modern college hoops: Nobody goes home without a scratch.


Back soon with some Sunday picks.

[The Poet]

Games of note come Sunday include:


St. John's vs. Cincinnati = Can the Red Storm keep on stormin', and shave the Bearcats on the road? At this point, I'd hate to pick against them . . . but I will. Cincy in a close one.

N.C. State vs. Wake Forest = The Wolfpack is not the worst team in the ACC. Let's see if they can prove that against the Deacs in Greensboro.

Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech = And the Yellow Jackets are also not the ACC's worst. But they are not as good as the Hokies. Sure, they can win. But I don't think they will.

Georgetown vs. Marquette = Although the Hoyas will probably have problems putting the Golden Eagles away, they ought to manage that down in DC.

Purdue vs. Illinois = Both of these have shown they can win, and they can just as easily lose too. Flip a coin.

Xavier vs. Duquesne = A huge game in the A-10, with the two teams tied atop going head-to-head. I'm looking for blood in the lane before this one's done.

Duke vs. Miami = The last time the Blue Devils went down to the Sunshine State, they came back with a loss. But that was against the Seminoles, and not the Hurricanes, so as much as I would like it, as it would help my Heels, I can't see a repeat of that happening. Duke, big.

U. Conn vs. Providence = And as much as I like seeing Jim Calhoun lose, I can't see the Friars winning in Storrs. It could happen, but that would be at least a minor shock to me.

Arizona vs. Arizona State = There is little doubt that the desert 'Cats have a better squad than does the Sun Devils. That being said, when it comes to in-state conference rivals, on ASU's court, you have to give Sendek's boys at least an outside shot at it. I'll believe it when I see it, but you never know.


I'm bushed, so that's it until Monday. 'Til then then, enjoy. Screw Drew.

[jcruse64]

Awright, first, ya gotta quit calling it the Crum Bucket, for the love of Rick!!!! The new digs goes by the official name "Pitino's Palace", or "The House That Rick Built". Show some respect! :D:D:D Good win for them, by the way, but they sure tried to let it slip at the end.

It IS easy to feel good about Vandy and Stallings program. A top notch school, with great academic programs and a med school and facilities that are among the nations best, and still manage to put a good team on the floor nearly every year. I had a feeling this was going to happen. UK had the game, and took their foot off the gas right after bagging the lead. No bench and no consistent focus = no Final Four for this squad this year. Kills me to say that.

Racers win!!!!! By the skin of their teeth, at 1 point at the buzzer. Ugly game for the Racers, who couldn't hold a lead until 7 minutes left in the game, and shooting a typical (for them) 50% from the line. Pitiful, and no excuse for it.

Missed the game while in Murray; looks like Pitt had a close game.

[The Poet]

Awright, first, ya gotta quit calling it the Crum Bucket, for the love of Rick!!!! The new digs goes by the official name "Pitino's Palace", or "The House That Rick Built". Show some respect! :D:D:D Good win for them, by the way, but they sure tried to let it slip at the end.

Hey, I thought I was showing some respect! :r Let's get real: It wasn't Pitino who built the Louisville program, but Denny Crum. What with so many other former coaches honored with their names on courts. . . Phog Allen, Adolph Rupp, John Wooden, Dean Smith, Lou Carnesecca, etc. . . I thought that this appellation was apt. Besides, I'M not the one who called it the KFC Yumi in the first place, so don't blame ME for the "Bucket" part! :D

Update to follow.

[The Poet]

It IS easy to feel good about Vandy and Stallings program. A top notch school, with great academic programs and a med school and facilities that are among the nations best, and still manage to put a good team on the floor nearly every year. I had a feeling this was going to happen. UK had the game, and took their foot off the gas right after bagging the lead. No bench and no consistent focus = no Final Four for this squad this year. Kills me to say that.

Racers win!!!!! By the skin of their teeth, at 1 point at the buzzer. Ugly game for the Racers, who couldn't hold a lead until 7 minutes left in the game, and shooting a typical (for them) 50% from the line. Pitiful, and no excuse for it.

Missed the game while in Murray; looks like Pitt had a close game.


Joe, I'm totally with you on Vandy. No offense intended, but that is the only SEC school I hold in unreserved respect. As for UK blowing the lead, with "no bench and no consistent focus", I put that all on Cal. He recruits the best "one-and-dones" in the country, then pretends his "dribble-drive" streetball approach is actual coaching, as opposed to just throwing out the orange and letting his guys hoop, in the hope they can outplay all others. Again, no offense, but it does NOT kill me to say THAT.

As for your other 2 points:

Pitt 57 - Villanova 54 = I'm not surprised the Panthers won, and not surprised they had a tough one in Philly. Aside from the relatively poor shooting, this one's about right, all the way around.

Murray State 60 - Jacksonville State 59 = How true, a win is a win. But how true that your Racers should never have had this much trouble with a 5-22 team. Yeah, everybody has a cold shooting night now and then, but that's when the better teams dig deep and hustle to make something work, somehow. You were there, and maybe they did that, but still :rolleyes:. I'm pulling for your Racers, but games like this don't make that easy. And the squeaker was even more important for them, due to . . .

Morehead State 64 - SE Missouri State 52 = One way or the other, "MSU" was going to be atop the OVC. That one-point win keeps Murray State there by a full game, instead of being tied with the Eagles for the conference.

Alabama 74 - Mississippi 64 = But it does seem as if the Tide has taken complete control over the SEC West, so barring their total collapse it is theirs.

Colorado 58 - Kansas State 56 = These two haven't any chance at all to take the Big 12, yet I'm a bit surprised on two fronts. One, I did not expect the Buffaloes to get some of the "quality" wins they've managed to so far. Two, although I never thought K-State was as good as their pre-season hype, I never thought they would just crumble like they have either.

Columbia 75 - Penn 62 = OK, so Penn's not as good as they have been in some past seasons. But to let the West Harlem Lions beat them like this? Please.

Florida 61 - Tennessee 60 = I felt this could be close, so maybe I'm not totally stupid after all. The Gators did just enough to do what they needed to grab the SEC East by the throat. Meanwhile, the Vols have not responded to the return of Bruce Pearl, and if they can't beat the 'Cocks on Wednesday they will join them in the basement.

Florida State 63 - Virginia 56 = For a little while I thought the Cavs would help my Heels by knocking off the 'Noles down south. But FSU hung on for a win that keeps them right on my Heels for 2nd place in the ACC.

Memphis 67 - Southern Mississippi 61 = A good win at home for the Tigers, but it still does little to resolve the CUSA race. With 1/2 the teams still in contention, this could go down to the final week, or even the final game.

Texas 69 - Baylor 60 = I predicted that the Longhorns should take it by 10 or better. They let me down, and only won by 9. So, I'm an idiot, OK? Feel better now?

San Diego State 63 - UNLV 57 = I can't say this is much of a shock, since the Aztecs have been fairly consistent all season. However, even giving the Casino Runs a few possessions for home-court advantage, I'd have to say it's not very impressive for a "Top Ten" team against one that hasn't sniffed a ranking so far this year. Yet again, a win's a win, so there is that.

Valparaiso 58 - Wright State 56 = Here's a huge win in the Horizon for the Crusaders to give them the slimmest lead there, but much like the CUSA this one's far from over. Hey, four more teams could spit and hit them, easy.

ODU 70 - VCU 59 = By comparison, the CAC's a cakewalk to call, what with only 4 teams bunched at the top. I'm a little surprised the Monarchs won by double-digits, but I knew it could go either way. So here's another mid-major race to keep in mind>


Now on Sunday here's the big ones:


St. John's 59 - Cincinnati 57 = I wondered if the Johnnies could shave the Bearcats, and they managed by a whisker. With six games left on their schedule, three tough and three not-so-much, it's beginning to look like they might actually earn themselves an at-large this year.

Xavier 71 - Duquesne 63 = Aside from the relatively "huge" margin of victory, no surprise here. The X-Men grab the slimmest of leads in the A-10 . . . in another race that won't be over 'til it's over.

Duke 81 - Miami 71 = Some Blue Devil fans may have thought that, what with Ohio State losing, and Pitt and Texas not showing dominance in their games either, they might actually move up a bit in the polls. Well, not when you beat a "meh" team like the 'Canes so weakly. OK, so Miami has lost a handful of conference heartbreakers. Granted, but on the other hand their conference wins have been heartbreakers also, just sneakers on the other foot. This was NOT a very powerful statement, Dook.

Purdue 81 - Illinois 70 = The Illini had their chances at home, but they could not make the plays in the final minutes. Regardless, a good win for the Boilermakers, which gives them an outside shot at taking the Big Ten . . . if they take care of their own business, and get a little more help against the Buckeyes.


Tonight I only spot two games that interest me at all:


Syracuse vs. West Virginia = The Mountaineers have shown they are, on any given night, capable of beating almost anyone. The Orange have lately shown they are equally capable of losing to almost anybody, as they've done 6 of their last 8 games. This one's in the Dome, but even that hasn't been much help to the 'Cuse so far. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, and make this a pick 'em.

Kansas vs. Kansas State = Speaking of doubt, you have no doubt read my posts about how hard it is to predict in-state conference rival games. Well, I predict that if K-State finally finds it feet again and manages to knock off the newest # 1 team in the polls then I shall report it tomorrow. I may report it anyway, unless it is the complete Jayhawk spanking I expect. KU over KSU, double-digits.


See you tomorrow, I presume. Until then, enjoy. Screw Drew.

[SD Beerman]

San Diego State 63 - UNLV 57 = I can't say this is much of a shock, since the Aztecs have been fairly consistent all season. However, even giving the Casino Runs a few possessions for home-court advantage, I'd have to say it's not very impressive for a "Top Ten" team against one that hasn't sniffed a ranking so far this year. Yet again, a win's a win, so there is that.

They could have easily blown them out they pretty much led most of the game. They have been missing their starting #2 guard and their sixth man for the last 3 games. Bright spot was that their supposed weakness is the foul line and they hit 8 in a row at the end of the game. Everyone is getting ready for the 26th against BYU. thanks for keeping up.:tu

[jcruse64]

St. John's play has me rooting for them to get an at-large. I like Lavin, and was disappointed he did not get more time at UCLA. That was also where Pitino lost me as a fan (like he needs me). I thought he was pretty classless in the way he expressed interest in Glavin's job while Glavin was still working it.

'Cuse is trying to put WV away with 6 minutes left.

Got no argument with you on Vandy either, Poet! And Vandy is a TOUGH road game.

[The Poet]

They could have easily blown them out they pretty much led most of the game. They have been missing their starting #2 guard and their sixth man for the last 3 games. Bright spot was that their supposed weakness is the foul line and they hit 8 in a row at the end of the game. Everyone is getting ready for the 26th against BYU. thanks for keeping up.:tu

Well, thanks for posting. And I wasn't trying to diss the Aztecs. It's not easy to win on the road. Hey, my Heels only edged Clemson by a deuce (though it would have been more had they hit FTs like your boys did down the stretch), and Duke beat a pretty crappy Miami squad by only ten. Sometimes escaping with the W is the best you can hope for.

Oh, and sometimes it's not even easy at home. Just ask Joe about his Racer's game! :D

St. John's play has me rooting for them to get an at-large. I like Lavin, and was disappointed he did not get more time at UCLA. That was also where Pitino lost me as a fan (like he needs me). I thought he was pretty classless in the way he expressed interest in Glavin's job while Glavin was still working it.

I suspect Lavin was a bit tarred with Harrick's brush, and was on short leash at UCLA. Then, with a handful of Sweet Sixteens, and one Elite Eight, followed by a 10-19 campaign, and that was all she wrote. This might not be fair, but it is the UCLA Bruins we're talking about here. Hey, for a similar situation, ask Matt Doherty what that's like. :r

As for Ricky P, I've never been much of a fan. He always struck me as a greaseball version of another guy I'm supposed to like, but really have some trouble doing so . . . Larry Brown. They both seem to be auditioning for their NEXT job. ;)

Update soon.

[The Poet]

Well, of the two games I selected from last night's meagre action, we had one shocker and one mocker:


Kansas State 84 - Kansas 68 = OK, so THAT # 1 ranking didn't last too long now, did it! This is one I still cannot believe. Although I have said once or twice that I've not been all that impressed with the play of the Jayhawks, I have been more "impressed" by what seemed the total and complete collapse of the prairie 'Cats. Hey, had they even managed to eek out a home win against KU on a buzzer-beater, I would have been surprised. Keep in mind, in the last 27 times the Jayhawks had visited Manhattan, they had won 26 times. But thanks in large part to a monster game by Jacob Pullen, K-State wasn't pullin' this one out their butts late, and owned it from start to finish. A huge win for a team that's had one of the most disappointing seasons in the nation. And I don't wanna hear no whinin' about KU missing some players to injuries either. Almost everybody has to play through missing pieces during the course of the season, and that's what the bench is for. Besides, we had enough whinin' last night from upstate NY . . .

Syracuse 63 - West Virginia 52 = The Orange needed a quality conference win badly, and got one against a good WVA team. The Orange did NOT need Jim Boeheim jumping into the $#!+ of the local media after the win, blasting them for criticism of SU's recent 2-6 skid. How DARE they disrespect him by finding fault with stuff like losing by 22 points to Seton Hall, in the Dome! Shut up, Jimbo. You don't like bad press? Then win all your stinkin' games. Just my :2 , worth every penny, and now I'll do what Boeheim didn't . . . button it.


There are 4 times more important games tonight than last night, and despite the size of the conference none bigger than:


George Mason vs. VCU = It's starting to get late early around the Colonial Athletic, and with these two vying for the lead, at 13-2 and 12-3 respectively, they both want a win tonight. Figure on a fight to the finish.

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State = Although they've been spotty at times, UK has the better team and the home court. They should rebound from their loss to Vandy, and move back over .500 in the SEC East.

Missouri vs. Texas Tech = I see this as pretty much the same story in the Big 12 here, though the Red Raiders did give Texas A&M all they could handle in their previous game, losing by only three. The Tigers may not like a similar outcome tonight, but they'll take it.

Villanova vs. Seton Hall = It is in Newark, and 'Nova has dropped 5 of their last 8. So has the Hall, and they have several big wins so far this year. Still, you gotta go with the Wildcats to best the Pirates, even if only by 2 or 3 possessions.

Maryland vs. Virginia Tech = The Terps are starting to slip off the bubble for a bid come March, and if you think Jim Boeheim can whine, wait until Gary Williams misses another at-large! They need some wins, and quick. The Hokies seem fairly safe at this point, and yet will not wish to co-operate with the plans of the Turtles, especially in Blacksburg. UM can certainly win, but I'd go with VT myself.

North Carolina vs. Wake Forest = There is no reason in the world why the Tar Heels should lose this game. They have superior players, more experienced coaching, and home court. But that does not mean it cannot happen, nor that it will not happen. Still, you have to favor UNC, and personally, if they do not chase the Deacons back down I-40/85, I shall be disappointed. Not as much as if the Heels do manage to blow it, but still.

Ohio State vs. Michigan State = The Buckeyes just lost their first game all year. The Spartans just won their first game all month, after not winning all that many in January either. No matter how badly Tom Izzo wants this one, and no matter how badly MSU needs a quality victory to help them towards an at-large in March, I cannot see that happening. Buckeyes, by a dozen.

St. John's vs. Marquette = This is one of those 3 tough games I mentioned on the Johnnies remaining schedule, and in Milwaukee to boot. At this point, it's hard to pick against them . . . but I will. I still think the Red Storm will earn a bid, but I don't think they will get closer to it tonight. The Golden Eagles, in a tight one.


That's it for now. Enjoy, and Screw Drew.

[rebelknight]

With Kansas losing last night do you think Ohio State reclaims number 1 (assuming a win tonight and Sunday at Purdue)? Or is it more likely Texas or Pitt will take over?

I'm a little biased being a student at Ohio State but I say Ohio States one loss is still better than Pitt's 2 or Texas' 3. Quality wins against MSU and Purdue should be enough to get the top spot back in my opinion.

[The Poet]

With Kansas losing last night do you think Ohio State reclaims number 1 (assuming a win tonight and Sunday at Purdue)? Or is it more likely Texas or Pitt will take over?

I'm a little biased being a student at Ohio State but I say Ohio States one loss is still better than Pitt's 2 or Texas' 3. Quality wins against MSU and Purdue should be enough to get the top spot back in my opinion.


That's a tough call, even if you assume your Buckeyes can beat Purdue on the road this Sunday . . . which is far from a guarantee. It's not only tough because one could see five teams splitting first-place votes, if you toss Duke into that mix, but also because the voters seem to latch onto certain teams, and certain leagues, and are lothe to abandon their favorites at times. And you must admit, OSU didn't help themselves much last night, what with their relatively close victory over the 14-11 Spartans, in Columbus too. More on that to follow.

But all in all, who really cares? It's just bragging rights, and as long as they stay within reach of a 1 or 2-seed in the tourney, that's all that truly matters.


Update soon.

[The Poet]

OK, since we've already mentioned it, let's start with that OSU/MSU game:


Ohio State 71 - Michigan State 61 = To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what to make of this. Is it a good bounce-back win for the Buckeyes after their first loss of the year, or is it a good loss for a Spartan team that hasn't shown us much for a while? Are all those close wins OSU got earlier an indication they are NOT as good as people think, or has Izzo managed to turn his boys around? One thing for sure, this game was not so much settled on the court, but at the stripe . . . and maybe even BY the stripes, if you can believe Izzo over Matta. The Buckeyes went 23-29 from the line. The Spartans? 5 of 6. Do you really expect me to believe that, in a Big Ten game, only a few shooting fouls occurred? Please.

St. John's 80 - Marquette 68 = Yeah, I know, I picked Marquette to win this one. Maybe you think I should have noticed how the Red Storm has gotten hot. Maybe you think I haven't given Lavin enough credit for showing his veteran players that they need not lose once they fall behind. But can you blame me? They broke a streak of 11 straight losses to this team last night, and if I recall correctly haven't beaten them since 1966! So, call me dumb, but don't call me clueless.

Kentucky 85 - Mississippi State 79 = This is probably closer than it should have been, but considering the struggles UK's had at times, I believe they'll take it. Speaking of taking it . . .

North Carolina 78 - Wake Forest 64 = Yeah, I'll take it, but I am not happy. The Heels played without focus and intensity, and just sort of puttered to a fairly easy win . . over a team they should have beaten like a rented mule. If the coach says his team played poorly, you might take it with a grain of salt. If the players say as much about themselves, you know it's a fact. This ain't gonna cut it, what with BC, Terps, and some other local team visiting the Dean Dome soon. Roy, I have one word for you . . . "Suicides!!"

Villanova 60 - Seton Hall 57 = Well, at least the Philly 'Cats have the excuse that they were on the road. That ain't much of one, and if anybody except me was paying attention, the Big Mouth Conference would NOT have 7 of the Top Twenty ranked teams in the nation.

Missouri 92 - Texas Tech 84 = And here's another one that's hard to understand. OK, I don't think Missouri is that great a team, but TT has been PP all year. Well, maybe all these are just due to late-season doldrums. Again, speaking of which . . .

Virginia Tech 91 - Maryland 83 = I figured the Hokies would win, so no surprise they did just that. But the Terps need two or three more quality Ws to have any shot at a NCAA bid, and they are running short of chances. OK, they can beat remaining teams NCSU, Miami, UVA . . . CAN, if they but DO . . . but if they don't, what chance do they have against FSU and UNC?

George Mason 71 - VCU 51 = I'm a little surprised here that GM won so easily. But what with VCU helping them out so much by only scoring 19 in the first half, I guess it's to be expected.

Wichita State 80 -Evansville 74 // Missouri State 60 - Drake 51 = I luimp these two together because they are most definitely lumped together. With both teams winning, they are tied at 13-3 each atop the Missouri Valley. Both have one "winnable" conference game left on the schedule, before they end the season in a face-off for the marbles. Talk about your fun!


Tonight there are too many games, so let me briefly hit the highlights:


Wisconsin vs. Purdue = Though without some major help neither will catch OSU for the Big Ten, they both still have an outside shot. Can the Badgers build on their huge win? Can the 'Makers make it to their Buckeye game without another loss? I figure this will be close, start to finish.

Vanderbilt vs. Georgia = Vandy's been more consistent than the 'Dawgs, but that hasn't meant much in the SEC this year. It's in Athens, but the home court hasn't meant much more either. Flip a coin.

Rider vs. Loyola MD = Who cares, you ask? Well, MAAC-leading Fairfield faces garbage Marist tonight, so figure they will win. Meanwhile, these two are tied for 2nd in conference play. So there's your answer . . . they care.

Xavier vs. St. Joseph's = As much as it pains me to say so, St. Joe's reeks this year. The X-Men had some early struggles, yet lead the A-10 over Temple . . . by a whole 1/2-game. They cannot afford to lose focus, and let the Hawks swoop down on them.

Duke vs. Virginia = In Charlottesville, if that matters. Although the Cavs have some guards who can hit from deep, I don't expect they'll give Dook much of a challenge. Still, the Blue Devils are not an overpowering physical team, and if UVA gets hot from outside, you never know.

South Carolina vs. Tennessee = On the one hand, the 'Cocks have lost three in a row. On the other, the Vols . . . have lost three in a row. I expect one of those streaks to end in Knoxville tonight.

UAB vs. Memphis = The CUSA race looks like a NASCAR sprint restart at the moment, and it's anybody's game. So's this game.

Pitt vs. South Florida = The Panthers, big, and that's no Bull.

Louisville vs. Cincinnati = But this Big East one could go either way. The Cardinals have a better conference record, but you may recall all those they pulled out of their @$$ in the final seconds. Despite some stumbles by the Bearcats, they can play some ball when they try. I think it will be close, so pick 'em.

Georgetown vs. U. Conn = Lately it's been all about the Hoyas, and not so much about the Huskies. Me, I'm not so sure either one of them is nearly as good as their ranking might indicate . . . though don't ask me who I'd put in their place, as I have no clue there either. Since I have more respect for G'town than for Calhoun's pre-prison majors, I'll go with them, by two possessions.

Murray State vs. SE Missouri State = Joe's Racers have the OVC lead, and now all they have to do is hold onto it. If they don't do that against a crappy SEMS tonight, they have no one but themselves to blame.

Texas A&M vs. Iowa State = And here's another mis-match in a different conference. The Aggies won't win the Big 12, but if they lose to the cellar-dweller Cyclones . . . well, I'll be blown away. And not in a good way, mind.

Michigan vs. Illinois = And neither of these will win the Big Ten. But will both of them earn a bid come March? It's not etched in stone yet, what with their 16-10 and 16-9 records, and may well depend on what they do in these last few weeks. Tonight would be a good time for them to start. Pick 'em.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State = I think there's a pretty good chance the Longhorns will get a bid, and would even be willing to bet you on that. And though the Cowboys have a few good wins on their resume (Stanford, K-State, Missouri), I don't give them much of a shot in Austin tonight. But if they bulldog the 'Horns, it would go a loooong way of getting them off any potential bubble. Don't expect a miracle, but keep half-an-eye on this.

Utah State vs. . . . Montana-Western???? = Are you freakin' kidding me? Montana-Western?? And on the Aggies home court to boot, for cryin' out loud? This team is supposed to be good, based on the fact that they have beaten people some high-school teams could take? They can take their # 25 AP ranking, couple it with their RPI Strength Of Schedule rating of 144, and kiss my hairy white @$$. Sheesh, stuff like this just p!$$es me off, no end.

San Diego State vs. New Mexico = The Lobos have a few good wins, such as Colorado and BYU, so if the Aztecs don't stay focused and walk into their own building with the intention to win, they could easily lose, and lose their lead in the Mountain West. Much like that UT/Oak State game above, keep an eye on the scoreboard here.


That's it for tonight. Enjoy. Screw Drew.

[rebelknight]

Ok. I agree that the votes for #1 will be split up to 5 ways but I was at the game last night and as a team Ohio State didn't play bad. ESPN would like people to believe otherwise because they keep posting his stats but the only player who stuck out to me as playing truly worse than usual was Sullinger. He looked soft. Every time he got touched he was calling for a foul and he was not moving up and down the court efficiently enough to be a defensive threat. That combined with his complaining about being spit on has taken him down a page in my book. I still like the kid and think hes the best thing we have on the team but the truth is without Buford, Wisconsin would have beat us by a lot more than 4 and MSU probably would have stole one on the road. Buford has now played 2 back to back great games. My only other complaint was Jon Diebler who didn't contribute anything on either side of the ball in the first half. However in the second half he really came out ready to play. Either way I'm glad we still have a few more weeks to correct things before the games really start to matter. And as always go BUCKS.

On an other note, I'm from Rochester, NY and my girlfriend goes to Syracuse so I really hope they get things going over there. Long time Boheim fan and it sucks seeing one of his teams struggle this much.

[The Poet]

Ok. I agree that the votes for #1 will be split up to 5 ways but I was at the game last night and as a team Ohio State didn't play bad. ESPN would like people to believe otherwise because they keep posting his stats but the only player who stuck out to me as playing truly worse than usual was Sullinger. He looked soft. Every time he got touched he was calling for a foul and he was not moving up and down the court efficiently enough to be a defensive threat. That combined with his complaining about being spit on has taken him down a page in my book. I still like the kid and think hes the best thing we have on the team but the truth is without Buford, Wisconsin would have beat us by a lot more than 4 and MSU probably would have stole one on the road. Buford has now played 2 back to back great games. My only other complaint was Jon Diebler who didn't contribute anything on either side of the ball in the first half. However in the second half he really came out ready to play. Either way I'm glad we still have a few more weeks to correct things before the games really start to matter. And as always go BUCKS.

On an other note, I'm from Rochester, NY and my girlfriend goes to Syracuse so I really hope they get things going over there. Long time Boheim fan and it sucks seeing one of his teams struggle this much.


I did not see the game, so cannot comment on the specifics. But I tend to give freshmen some slack, and although at this point in the season there are no "real" freshmen, Sullinger should be expected to disappear from time to time. As for that whole "spitting" incident, I saw the story yet decided not to comment, since we always seem to get a few "non-stories" like that every year. If it happened as reported by Sully, then it was at least bad Badger form. However, there are idiots everywhere, so it's best to make your point then let it go.

And as for Syracuse, they pull this stuff almost every year. Me, I've gotten to the point where I don't so much consider it "struggling" as I think it's just Orange basketball as usual. They'll have a good season, make the NCAAs, and go bye-bye in the second round.


Update to follow.

[SD Beerman]

I agree that you just want to stay up high in the rankings to get the good seed. OSU will probably get back to one, but you never know with Duke, the media favorite.....

[The Poet]

A number of games went in unexpected directions last night, but many had the same net result, and that being to further confuse their conference races:


U. Conn 78 - Georgetown 70 = Though is seems as if Notre Dame is the only team willing to challenge Pitt for the regular season, the fight for 3rd place goes 6 or 8 deep. That includes these two, as well as . . .

Cincinnati 63 - Louieville 54 = The Bearcats looked dead in this hunt after losing 3 of 4, but this one keeps them at least mathematically in the hunt. NOT in that hunt are . . .

Pitt 67 - South Florida 55 = The Panthers would have to totally crumble to drop into that pack, and the Bulls would have to kidnap the commish to even get a sniff. Still, I don't much like this. For a team with aspirations for a # 1 ranking to beat a crappy team like this by just a dozen, on their home court no less, ain't much of a statement.

Duke 56 - Virginia 41 = Nor is this, though there is the slim excuse that the Blue Devils were on the road. Still, for them not to break 60, and for Singler to end up with 2 points, 4 fouls, and 5 turnovers . . . yeah, there's a first-team All-American for you.

Vanderbilt 64 - Georgia 56 = Hey, Vandy's won 4 in a row now, and with a little help could even catch the Gators for the SEC East. What with UK and the Vols in that mix, who'd a thunk?

Illinois 54 - Michigan 52 = A close one, and I suppose a decent win for the Illini, though what it means in the larger picture I cannot say. Illinois "improves" to 17-9, and if the can run the table (fat chance of that!) they will not join the other 6 Big Ten teams who already "boast" double-digits in the loss column.

Purdue 70 - Wisconsin 62 = The Badgers follow up their huge win against the Buckeyes by spitting the bit against the Boilermakers. Now they can get ready for their Sunday go-to-meeting with OSU.

San Diego State 68 - New Mexico 62 = Hey, I told you the Lobos would give the Aztecs game! A bucket here, a steal there, and this would have gone the other way.

Southern Mississippi 64 - UTEP 51 // Memphis 62 - UAB 58 = Like those that follow, I lump these for good reason. There are 6 teams still looking for the CUSA crown, including all 4 of these. And neither game did much to resolve the issue either. And the same goes for . . .

Wisconsin Milwaukee 79 - Valparaiso 76 // Cleveland State 74 - Wright State 72 = In the Horizon, there are 4 teams with conference records between 12-4 and 11-5. You think the next two weeks will just be playing out the string? Well then, consider . . .

Morehead State 76 - Eastern Kentucky 68 (OT) // SE Missouri State 64 - Murray State 57 = Joe's Racers did not do what they needed, and the Eagles did, albeit it took them extra innings. This ties the two MSUs atop the OVC at 12-4, with two others still on their necks with 11 league wins. It truly ain't over 'til it's over, brothers.


In tonight's action we have:


Minnesota vs. Penn State = We haven't heard much from either of these two lately, as both come in with 6-7 Big Ten records. Neither is totally safe with an at-large yet, though the Gophers might be close, so tonight would be a great time for somebody to step up and make a statement.

Clemson vs. N. C. State = The Tigers have likely secured an at-large, but the Wolfpack would need to win the ACC Tourney to steal one. That won't happen. Still, a big win in Raleigh would give the fans something to cheer for. But will it save Sidney Lowe's job? Ehhhhhh, I dunno.

Temple vs Richmond = The Owls have a good team. The Spiders have a good team. Both are at 9-2, a game back of Xavier, in the A-10. Me, I'd give both an at-large anyway, regardless, but they can't afford to think that way. Here we have us a war.

Belmont vs. East Tennessee State = You can just about give Belmont the Atlantic Sun now. If they beat their nearest competition in the Buccaneers tonight, you can damn well give it to them. As they would have earned it, completely, good for them.

Santa Clara vs. Gonzaga = Yeah, OK, I guess there's a shot that one of these might be able to steal the WCC from St. Mary's, though they're gonna need some help along the way. Still, if one of them has hopes of snaring a bid, the'd best show up for this one.

And tonight might be "Moving Day" in the Pac-10, since we have these:


Arizona vs. Washington State // Washington vs. Arizona State // UCLA vs. Stanford = With the possible exception of the Huskies/Sun Devils game, these could go either way . . . and I'm not so sure that Herb Sendek can't pull some magic mushrooms out of his desert demons down in Tempe either. With those Huskies at 9-4 in conference play, the UCLA Bruins at 9-3, and 'Zona all the way up at 10-2 . . . well, I think you see my point.


That's it for me tonight. Enjoy, and Screw Drew.

[The Poet]

I agree that you just want to stay up high in the rankings to get the good seed. OSU will probably get back to one, but you never know with Duke, the media favorite.....

Well, I'd have no problem if the Buckeyes get that #1 back, for what it's worth, but remember this: In last week's voting, Kansas took the top spot with 22 1st-place votes, OSU took 2nd with 14, and Texas took 3rd . . . with 23 1st place votes!! (Pitt was the pits, with 6, and Dook got dookie).

So somebody out there somewhere REALLY hates the Longhorns, and there's little evidence that they're kissing K's keister.